Macverick Viñales’ first time at the top of the timesheets with the Aprilia. It was at the start of the San Marino GP, thanks to the morning clock. In the afternoon, in the wet, it was 17th.
-Would you sign all weekend in the rain or do you prefer dry?
-I prefer dry, because normally there are more races in the dry than in the water and we still have to explore many points. I think that in the dry it would be the ideal to continue evolving, but in the water there is still a lot of room for improvement in that regard. The mentality is the same, gain experience with the Aprilia and understand each other with the team. That work that we already did in Alcañiz, although our potential in results was not seen, I did notice that I took a step forward, and this I am noticing because each step we take has to be solid.
-Is the working method inside the box different from what you were used to?
-Very different, although it is difficult to compare. But what I feel is that I can work in many more areas than I could not before. This will help me to understand the bike better and to be fast and above all constant. I’m still adjusting to the bike.
-You haven’t done the time attack today, what prospects do you have for tomorrow?
-That’s going to be the hardest thing for me, how much I can get out of the new tire. It is clear what pace there is, and it was not difficult for me to get 1:32 pace. I did it this morning as soon as I left and this was good because in the test I was not riding that fast. I think we have good potential on one lap, in the test I did here we did some fast laps, but it’s anyone’s guess because as I still don’t understand the bike 100%, it’s hard for me to get the most out of it. So you have to go with lead feet and if tomorrow in FP3 I can do 1:31, I think I will be in Q2. That will be the goal.
-What did it feel like to see yourself up in the rankings?
-It lets you know that when everything is in place you have speed, you are ahead. It is clear that there will be circuits that we will suffer, but the speed is there and that is the most important thing. It’s nice to see you up there and it gives you confidence to keep fighting. But what we have clear is that this is a process, one day we will be up, another day a little lower. And we have to have the same attitude. Work and work. And get that consistency with the Aprilia.
-What is the most important thing about this first day?
-Above all I am left with the step forward that we have taken since the test. Because I had that unknown when I arrived, and more so after Alcañiz’s career. But at Misano we have taken a big step, especially with used rubber. It leaves me very satisfied to know that little by little we are understanding this bike, today I tried a setting quite different from the one in the test and that has allowed me to be more comfortable. We have to be calm and little by little we will arrive.