VOLUME 58 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 24, 2021 P39
Maverick Vinales Out At Yamaha
M
averick Vinales and Yamaha
have parted ways with im-
mediate effect. Following Vinales'
suspension at the Austrian MotoGP
as punishment for deliberately
trying to damage his Yamaha YZR-
M1's motor at the Styrian MotoGP,
Yamaha announced Vinales will
no longer be part of the Yamaha
team for the remainder of the 2021
MotoGP season.
"In Assen, Yamaha and Vinales
already announced the mutual
decision to cut short their origi-
nal 2021-2022 program and to
finish it at the end of 2021," said
Yamaha Motor Racing Managing
Director, Lin Jarvis. "A commit-
ment 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.
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 replace-
ment rider—yet to be determined."
That rider for the British
MotoGP this
weekend has
since been
determined as
Petronas Kalex
Moto2 rider,
Jake Dixon.
The Briton, who
competed for
many years at
the front of the
British Super-
bike Champion-
ship before switching to Moto2,
will thus make his MotoGP race
debut in front of his home fans,
although it is not determined if he
will fill the seat for the remainder
of the season.
That moves Franco Mor-
bidelli's stand-in replacement Cal
Crutchlow into the factory team to
replace Vinales, with Dixon taking
Crutchlow's place at Petronas
Yamaha.
Vinales has already signed
to race for Aprilia next season
alongside Aleix Espargaro, and
it is believed the Italian manufac-
turer wants Vinales on its bike this
season, now that he is essentially a
free agent. It is unlikely Vinales will
make his Aprilia debut at this week-
end's Silverstone round, but there
is a possibility of him replacing
incumbent Lorenzo Savadori from
the Aragon round onwards.
CN
Following Maverick
Vinales' meltdown
in Styria, he and
Yamaha have ended
their relationship with
immediate effect.
Jake Dixon gets
the call-up to the
Petronas Yamaha
squad alongside
Valentino Rossi
for the British
MotoGP this
weekend.
