Maverick Viñales had a very positive start during his first laps on the KTM RC16. The Spanish rider, who joined the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team for the 2025 season, quickly adapted to his new mount and expressed great enthusiasm.
Maverick Viñales began a new adventure in MotoGP this Tuesday with the KTM RC16 of the team
Tech3after his stints at Suzuki, Yamaha and Aprilia. Although his start was modest in terms of position, 12th with a gap of 1.084 seconds on Alex
Marquezthe Catalan underlined his positive feelings with his new mount. With 74 laps on the clock,
Vinales has impressed with the ease with which he has adapted to the Austrian bike, a machine that seems to align perfectly with his riding style.
During his first attempts, Vinales was able to base itself on the settings used by Pedro Acosta in Montmelò to find a good starting point. The adaptation happened quickly, and the pilot of 29 ans quickly closed the gap with the official drivers
KTMbeing only three tenths of the performance ofAcosta. « I came with no expectations, just the desire to learn“, he explained, emphasizing that the bike gave him sensations that he had not felt for a long time. “ With the Aprilia, the acceleration was not natural for me, whereas here, the KTM is much more. »
Vinales expressed great satisfaction with the acceleration of the RC16, which he said corresponds to a different philosophy, while providing notable improvements in fast corners. “ It's a bike that turns well in fast cornersand I'm really satisfied with the feeling it gives me“, he said.
Maverick Viñales: « I can't ask anything from KTM until I reach the limits of the bike »
As for the question of whether he could succeed with
KTMafter achieving victories with Suzuki, Yamaha and Aprilia, Vinales remained cautious but optimistic. “ It's possible, but you must remain calm“, he replied with a smile. He is also very enthusiastic about working with his new teammates, including Pedro Acostahighlighting their good collaboration and the data they share on the circuits. “ With Acosta we did five rounds together« .
As for his first adjustments,
Vinales hasn't pushed the bike to its limits yet. “ I can't ask anything from KTM until I reach the limits of the bike“, he clarified. But he has already expressed a preference for a fairing that he tested and found “ very positive“. He also welcomed the help and advice of Dani Pedrosa et
Pol Espargarowhom he found very attentive throughout the day, explaining to him how the motorcycle worked. “ They wanted to know my impressions, and this shows that I understood the bike well“, he concluded.
For Maverick, this beginning with KTM is a breath of fresh air, and although expectations remain realistic, his rapid adaptation and the good sensations he experiences with the bike bode well for a promising future with the Austrian brand.
MotoGP, Barcelona Test: times
