YAMAHA AND VINALES TO PART WAYS
Yamaha has officially announced that the team and Maverick Vinales have agreed to part ways at the end of the current season.
The team confirmed that the rider who qualified on pole and finished second in the weekend’s Dutch TT at Assen requested an early release from his contract that was due to expire at the end of 2022.
“It is with sadness that we will say farewell to Maverick at the end of the year.” said Lin Javis, Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director.
“We are in the middle of our fifth season together and over the years we have achieved many highs but also had to manage many lows.”
“After the German GP, which was the most difficult weekend of our partnership, we had important discussions in Assen and came to the conclusion that it would be in the interest of both parties to go our separate ways in the future.”
“Yamaha will put in their maximum effort – as we always have done – to give full support to Maverick and finish this season in the very best way possible.”
Since joining Yamaha in 2017 Vinales has suffered mixed results on the M1, prompting the manufacturer to replace his prefered engineer Esteban Garcia with Silvano Galbusera earlier this season.
“This partnership has been very significant to me over the last five years, and it proved a difficult decision to part ways.” said Vinales.
“In these seasons together, we experienced both great achievements and tough times.”
“However, the underlying feeling is of mutual respect and appreciation. I am fully committed and will strive to achieve the best results for the rest of the season.”
Rumours swirled around the Assen paddock linking Vinales to a potential move to Aprilia at the end of the season, although Vinales brushed off those suggestions when asked at the press conference after the race.
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