MotoGP Gossip: Vinales admits leaving Suzuki for Yamaha was a ‘mistake’

Following last year’s mid-season split from Yamaha, MotoGP rider Maverick Vinales has admitted that leaving Suzuki to join the Iwata-based manufacturer was a mistake. 

The current Aprilia rider made a great start to 2021 as he won the season opener in Qatar, however, things quickly unravelled for the Spaniard who failed to score another podium until round nine in Assen.

The first and second place finishes were his only podium results throughout the year - did miss two races - which is his worst return since his rookie season in 2015. 

Vinales and Yamaha decided to cut ties following the first of two rounds in Austria as the 26 year-old was seen over-revving his M1 engine during the race before eventually returning to pit-lane. 

Vinales then tested for Aprilia at Misano before signing a deal prior to Aragon which saw him finish the final six races.

Reported by the-race.com, Vinales recently conducted an interview where he stated that leaving Suzuki for Yamaha was a ‘mistake’.

“I don’t want to talk too much about the past," added Vinales. “It’s clear that I made a mistake [leaving Suzuki]. In the end we created a really good team, but in that moment the Yamaha was a winning bike and I chose that way. Wrong or not, I don’t know, because in the end you make your own decisions." [the-race.com]

Former Repsol Honda boss Livio Suppo has admitted he feels ‘sorry’ for the current predicament that Honda are in. 

The team could be without Marc Marquez for pre-season testing for the second consecutive year, while 2021 was the team’s second worst season in terms of podium finishes since 2001 - only 2020 was worse. 

“I am very sorry for Honda that they have to fight like that now. Because when I left the team after the 2017 season, it was very strong,” said Suppo - reported by Motosan.es. “You have to find the right way. And I hope that Marc Marquez will be fine. 

“That would certainly be helpful. But the results of all the other Honda riders were not great, so the bike's development was probably not that good." [Motosan.es]

Finally in today’s MotoGP Gossip column, Kevin Schwantz believes Pedro Acosta is destined for big things in MotoGP and that he will spend no more than one or two seasons in Moto2. [Marca.com]