VINALES AND YAMAHA TERMINATE CONTRACT, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

The factory Yamaha MotoGP team and Maverick Vinales have mutually agreed to terminate their 2021 contract with immediate effect.

After the ninth round of the MotoGP season in the Netherlands it was announced that the two parties would end their two-year contract for 2021-2022 to an early end, with the Spaniard wanting to depart at the end of 2021.

Since then Yamaha has suspended the former Moto3 champion, they believed that Vinales was deliberately trying to blow up one of its engines at the conclusion of the Styrian Grand Prix.

Just days after sitting out the Austrian Grand Prix Vinales announced that he has signed to race for the Aprilia team in 2022 alongside current rider Aleix Espargaro.

Following the recent events in Austria both parties reached an agreement to separate with immediate effect.

“In Assen Yamaha and Vinales already announced the mutual decision to cut short their original 2021-2022 programme and to finish it at the end of 2021,” said Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis.

“A commitment was made by both rider and team to continue to the end of the current season, with the team guaranteeing its full support and the rider giving his maximum efforts so that we could finish the project ’in style‘.

“Regretfully at the Styrian GP the race did not go well or end well and consequently after deep consideration by both parties, the mutual decision was reached that it would be better for both parties if we end the partnership earlier. “

Jarvis explained that this would be better for both Yamaha and Vinales, and that a replacement rider would be found.

“The early separation will release the rider to be free to follow his chosen future direction and will also permit the team to focus its efforts on the remaining races of the 2021 season with a replacement rider – yet to be determined,” he continued.

“I would like to express Yamaha‘s sincere gratitude to Maverick.

“Yamaha will continue to cherish the good memories and appreciate the work both parties put into the 4.5 years spent together that brought us eight race victories, 24 podiums, and two third places in the 2017 and 2019 overall rider standings.

“We wish Maverick all the very best in his future endeavours.”

Vinales started off the season with a victory in Qatar, however, while his younger teammate Fabio Quartararo has leapt into the lead in the championship, Vinales has finished on the podium just once since.

Vinales did not expand on the statements made by Jarvis, but confirmed that he would no longer race for the factory Yamaha team.

“Following our mutual decision in Assen to part ways a year early, it was also decided to commit to completing the current season with maximum effort from both sides,” he said.

“However, at the Styrian GP the race didn‘t turn out as we had hoped, and regrettably it did not end well.

“After thorough consideration both parties have agreed it would be best to end the partnership with immediate effect.

“I am deeply grateful to Yamaha for the great opportunity. I am also thankful for the support they gave me during these 4.5 years of racing and will look back with pride on the results we achieved together.

“I will always have great respect for Yamaha and wish them the very best.”

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