The Spaniard has often been criticized for inconsistent performances throughout his career, but ever since he discovered a perfect setup with his 2024 RSGP, Vinales has been looking like a real protagonist for the 2024 crown.

Had the unfortunate mechanical failure not occurred in Portugal, where he crashed on the final lap, Vinales would’ve been second in the championship, right behind Martin.

Vinales feels that his recent upturn in form has to be attributed to the setup changes that Aprilia has made regarding the weight balance.

“[The thing about] Life is that you have to dream,” said Vinales. “It’s amazing how much we improved in just one race. Because in Qatar, I didn’t feel good with the bike, and I wasn’t able to be competitive.”

“But as soon as we changed the bike a little bit, especially the weight balance, I just felt incredible every single lap. So we need to keep pushing. The moment we are living right now is special, so we must enjoy it.”

“But at the same time, we need to take profit of that, because we can try to win tomorrow. I feel super relaxed and a lot of relief, especially from Portimao.”

With this strong form, Vinales feels that he has become less nervous and more convinced about his chances in the future…

“It’s strange, because you are on the grid and you are not nervous, [instead] I’m convinced, I’m focused and that’s a nice feeling. That’s the feeling I need to be fast.”

“Obviously we have to improve. Because tomorrow is a long race, but physically, I feel so good. So I want to push and put the hammer down every time, trying to do an amazing lap.”

When asked how he could improve on a seemingly flawless performance on Sunday, Vinales felt that he will need to put more emphasis on saving the tires in the right places.

“It’s pretty difficult to understand right now. I have to go to the garage and talk to the guys. I’m thinking of two or three places to save tires, while I can be effective in other places, so we’ll see.”