MotoGP News: Maverick Vinales 'Positive' About 2025 KTM Bike After Clocking Highest Top Speed

Saajan Jogia | Nov 20, 2024

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Maverick Vinales (12) of Spain and Aprilia Racing sprays the fans with Prosecco after the Americas Grand Prix sprint race at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Maverick Vinales revealed a positive assessment of his transition to the KTM Tech3 team, reporting a promising first impression of the KTM RC16 MotoGP bike for the 2025 season. During post-season testing in Barcelona, he achieved the highest top speed of 354 km/h, hinting at a potentially positive start after an inconsistent year with Aprilia.

He was just one second behind test leader Alex Marquez and a mere 0.3 seconds off Brad Binder's fastest KTM lap. Despite the top-speed advantage, Vinales finished in the twelfth spot. However, he has plenty of positive points to take away from the KTM before returning for the pre-season MotoGP test at Sepang in February. Describing his first test session with the RC16, he said:

“I started the day with no expectations. Trying to be very open-minded. But straight away, even on the out lap, the feeling was positive. Everything comes very naturally.

“Obviously, there are still many things I need to understand and integrate in my riding style. But the feeling was good. We didn't test too much. I just asked to have Pedro’s set up and try to ride and understand the bike.”

He added:

“I don't see any problem for the moment, but for sure I didn't arrive at the limit of the bike.

“So I prefer to stay quiet for now and try to first of all arrive at the limit and then start to really understand what is missing.

“But I didn't see any ‘wall’. Every time I went out, I went faster and faster.”

Vinales claimed that the bike suited his riding style and was perfect for him. His concern about the bike not being fast on corners was dealt with after he began the session. He explained:

“What I like about the bike, and this is something very positive for my riding style, is the way you exit the corner. So let's say that the earlier you pick up, the earlier you go.

“This is fantastic for my riding style. Because I pick up very early the bike. And you always have power pushing you out of the corner.

“Brakes, still I need to understand a little bit more the bike but it seems quite stable. But when I try to force the slide, I still need to understand how much front brake I can use in different phases.

“The only thing I was concerned about [before the test] was the fast corners, because I've been fast with all the other bikes. But on paper, all those bikes were good for the fast corners.

“But this one I like a lot for the fast corners, like 13-14 becomes very natural and with a lot of corner speed.”

After setting the highest top speed of the test, Vinales was impressed by the pace, revealing that's the first thing that struck him. He added:

“It's fast. It's the first thing I felt!

“Also the exit is good, traction and as I mentioned, as soon as you pick up, the bike pushes out of the corner. But it’s fast: 3rd, 4th, 5th it’s fast.”

Vinales added that he would feel like family at the Tech 3 team, where he discussed the 2025 MotoGP bike with KTM test riders Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaró. He said:

“Good feeling, good atmosphere. I think, and believe, we can create a really strong group.

“This is a family. It's what I feel with the mechanics between them. And probably it’s the feeling I need.

“We didn't touch the bike too much. Clear adjustments. But I really wanted to take Pedro's bike and ride it until I go fast.

“I also worked a little bit with Dani [Pedrosa] and Pol [Espargaro] trying to understand where I need to push the bike, where I need to be more gentle. It was a nice experience, to work with them.”