Yamaha MotoGP rider Maverick Vinales will be based in sunny Qatar during the European winter so that he can train throughout the year.
The Spaniard, who finished third in this year’s championship which concluded yesterday in Spain, told MotoSprint that “it was very important to find a good situation for myself.”
He elaborated: “I believe that at this point I have to take a step forward physically and mentally. During the Qatar Grand Prix at the beginning of the season I saw the facilities of the Qatar Motorsports Academy and I was impressed.
“I spoke with those responsible for the circuit and they opened the door for me to use these facilities anytime I wanted. I thought about the opportunity of being able to ride bikes normally in winter when in Europe we mostly have to train indoors. So I decided to move to Doha when Andorra is covered by snow.”
The former Moto3 champion added: “I have already gotten everything organised and I have been able to train with the Qatar Motorsports Academy coaches and I have to say that it’s unbelievably good. Also there are very experienced riders who also can help you.
“Most of them are ex-GP riders, which means they go fast, and I need riders that push me. If we overtake each other and we take ourselves down, we are very friendly. We don’t have any problem. That’s important.
“Because, at the end at the GPs you do the same. It’s with other bikes, but it is the same competitiveness. So that’s the important point. It’s very good for me.”
Vinales added that being able to use the facilities at Aspire was also a plus point.
“We are also working with Aspire. It’s a highly advanced training academy that has incredible facilities and world-class professionals working there.
“We have just started to develop the programme for motorcycle riders. At this moment they are developing exercises that will help me to be better on the bike. This is very important because there is in no other sport that is similar to motorcycling. So I think that at Aspire I will have the chance to work out a very specific training programme.”
He said Aspire would also help him with the mental side of things.
“They are very good in this area. To stay mentally focused is very important.
He said he has already improved in this department.
“I’m now capable of staying calm when we are going through tough moments, for example. That will help to improve my life… not only my racing life, also my life outside the sport.”
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