Vinales "pissed off" over Yamaha's starts to MotoGP races
Maverick Vinales admits he's "pissed off" with the starting capability of the 2021 Yamaha MotoGP bike, having been monstered by four Ducatis off the line in the Qatar Grand Prix.

Vinales qualified second for last weekend's season opener at Losail, but dropped to sixth at the end of the first lap after four Ducatis and Yamaha teammate Fabio Quartararo jumped him.
Race starts were a prominent feature of Vinales' Qatar test and practice programme, and though his launch wasn't bad it simply wasn't enough to counteract the brute force of the Ducati off the line.
Part of this is down to Yamaha not having the front holeshot device Ducati, Honda, KTM and Aprilia have.
Though Vinales was able to work his way back through the pack and win the race, he admits the effort he has to put in to do this simply "complicates" matters.
"At least I think the start was good, so the numbers were good," he said ahead of this weekend's Doha GP.
"Just I think our competitors were fantastic. I cannot do more with what we have.
"For sure we will try to improve, or at least try to make another improvement this weekend.
"But we can see that the front start device makes a huge difference because the Ducatis are starting much faster than last year.
Read Also:
"So, we will try to make that improvement. I think Yamaha is working hard to try to have it as soon as possible.
"But for sure I'm pissed off because it complicates the race a lot. When you are on the front, you can have not an easier race but you can control the tyres much more.
"When you are [coming from] the back, you just need to run out all the time and push the rear to overtake the other riders.
"So, for sure it's something we have to pay attention to and we are obligated to improve in that area."
Vinales starts this weekend's Doha GP leading the championship for the first time since his maiden season with Yamaha back in 2017, when he won three of the opening five rounds of the campaign.
Related video

Previous article
Marquez “worried” about Honda’s MotoGP qualifying pace
Next article
Doha MotoGP: Espargaro tops FP1 as Morbidelli hits trouble

About this article
Series | MotoGP |
Drivers | Maverick Viñales |
Author | Lewis Duncan |
Vinales "pissed off" over Yamaha's starts to MotoGP races
Trending
MotoGP 2021 kicks off in Qatar
Mandalika Circuit update
MotoGP Starting Grid: Doha Grand Prix
MotoGP Starting Grid: Qatar Grand Prix
Top 10 most successful Repsol Honda Team riders
Where does Espargaro sit ahead of Marquez's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
Why MotoGP's stewards must revisit Miller and Mir's Losail clash
Despite Suzuki’s decision not to appeal against Race Direction’s refusal to penalise Jack Miller following the incident with Joan Mir in Losail, something must be done to avoid a repeat of such an incident, which could have easily ended in tragedy
Why MotoGP’s top gun looks more dangerous at the Doha GP
Lightning hasn't struck twice for Maverick Vinales since 2017 and his wayward form of recent years makes predicting how he'll fare each MotoGP race weekend tricky. But fresh from his Qatar GP win, Vinales looks like an even more dangerous prospect for the Doha GP following an intriguing Friday practice.
Why MotoGP’s new Amazon Prime series is long overdue
OPINION: MotoGP is getting its own version of Drive to Survive on Amazon Prime at some point in the near future. It was news welcomed by the grid’s leading riders. And following the impact DTS has had on Formula 1, MotoGP desperately needs the same boost.
The key changes behind the latest 'return of the Mack'
Maverick Vinales’s authoritative victory at the MotoGP season opener came during a period of personal and professional change for the Yamaha rider. Can it be the springboard for a title challenge?
Why Lorenzo needs to ditch social media and enjoy retirement
OPINION: Jorge Lorenzo's status as one of the greatest MotoGP riders of all time is hard to dispute. But his constant social media spats with fellow riders and insistence on listing his achievements to his detractors are running the risk of tarnishing a legacy he worked hard to create.
Can leaving a factory team end Rossi’s MotoGP win drought?
It is over three-and-a-half years since the Italian national anthem rang out to declare a Valentino Rossi victory in MotoGP. To some onlookers his move out of the factory Yamaha squad meant the 2017 Dutch TT could remain his final win, but after an encouraging transition at Petronas SRT hope is far from lost