MotoGP Austin: Vinales will be fast all season - Rossi

Valentino Rossi has again heaped praise on young Spaniard Maverick Vinales, saying he believes the Suzuki man can fight for to positions all year which has added fuel to the speculation the pair will be team-mates in 2017.

Rossi thinks the speed shown by the Suzuki man at Qatar, Argentina and now Austin - three very different tracks - means he will be fast everywhere, especially now Suzuki have got a faster engine but says it makes no odds if Vinales joins him at Yamaha or if Lorenzo stays.

“I think that Viñales also demonstrate today that he can be with the top guys for all season. Because we go in a very different track, and in three tracks, the Suzuki with him is very strong. I think he rides so well, he’s a clever rider and he understand the way to use the MotoGP. So I think him together with his bike, they are growing up a lot,” said Rossi, speaking at the track.

“For me, Suzuki is very good in the chassis, and is similar to Honda when you follow, but very reactive and very precise. Last year, they had a big disadvantage in the engine, but looks like this year, they improve a lot, so is a good bike. But is also true that in this case, Viñales is faster than Espargaro, so it means that he finds a way to ride the bike at the maximum.

“It’s not a big difference if Lorenzo remain, or Viñales come, or also Iannone, or also Pedrosa. It’s true for sure that with Viñales will be very hard, because he is very young, and he have a good talent, and I think that he will become one of the top riders of MotoGP very soon.”

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