Yamaha announces final break with Viñales with immediate effect

Anyway, divorce. What was already expected was definitively confirmed on Friday (20). Yamaha announced a final break with Maverick Vinales. The Spanish rider was suspended by the Japanese brand on the eve of the Austrian Grand Prix for allegedly ‘Irregular running on the bike’ when trying to damage the engine at the end of the Styrian Grand PrixOn the Red Bull circuit. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Vinales, He confirmed his move to Aprilia in the 2022 season MotoGP. Now, the brand is emphasizing the separation of the two parts with immediate effect.

In a statement released by Yamaha this morning, Vinales made a protocol statement in which he briefly stated the reason for the eventual separation and thanked the team during their nearly five years together.

“Following our mutual decision in shafts After breaking up a year ahead of schedule, it was also decided to commit to ending the current season with maximum effort on both sides. However, in the Styrian GP the race did not go as expected and, unfortunately, the race did not end well,” stressed the competitor.

After careful consideration, the parties agreed that it would be preferable to terminate the partnership with immediate effect. I am so grateful to Yamaha for this great opportunity and I am also grateful for the support they have given me over these four and a half years. I will look back with pride on the results we achieved together. I will always have a lot of respect for Yamaha and wish them all the best,” he declared.

Team boss Lynne Jarvis noted recent decisions about Vinales, such as the early termination of the contract, which will run until 2022, for the end of the current season. But the explosion of a new crisis in the relationship between the two parties made separation inevitable.

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At Assen, Yamaha and Viñales have already announced a mutual decision to end the original schedule between 2021 and 2022 and finish it at the end of 2021. Pilotto and the team have pledged to continue with the team until the end of the current year. season, assuring his full support and the pilot to do his best so that we can finish the project in great style,” he commented.

“Unfortunately, in the Styrian GP, ​​the race did not go well, or did not end well. Thus, after deep thought by both parties, the mutual decision was made that it would be better for both parties if we terminated the partnership sooner,” Jarvis said. .

The Yamaha captain stressed that “the early separation will free the rider to follow the direction he chooses for the future and will also allow the team to focus its efforts on the remaining races of the 2021 season with an alternate rider yet to be determined.” in time, Cal Crutchlow It was only confirmed for the weekend of the Great Britain Grand Prix, evidence that it takes place on the last weekend of August in Silverstone.

Yamaha highlighted Maverick’s record, Moto3 champion in 2013. The Spaniard was signed by the Japanese brand in 2017 after competing in the past two years with Suzuki in MotoGP. There have been eight victories that Yamaha has conquered, being the last at this year’s Qatar Grand Prix.

“I would like to express Yamaha’s sincere gratitude to Maverick,” Jarvis stated.

“Yamaha will continue to cherish the fond memories and appreciate the work that both parties have done over four and a half years together, bringing us eight wins, 24 podiums and two third places in the World Drivers’ Championship in 2017 and 2019. We wish each Maverick all the best in their future endeavours.” .

The contract signed by Viñales with Aprilia relates to 2022. As for the current season, since the Spaniard no longer has any contractual relationship with Yamaha, there is an open door if the Italian brand wants to remain the bike’s number 12 owner during the current MotoGP season.