Maverick Vinales could sacrifice Sepang MotoGP Sprint despite strong Friday speed

Maverick Vinales had his best day on track in MotoGP since returning to racing at Motegi during Friday in Malaysia, but even still he could sacrifice the Sprint.

Vinales finished Practice inside the top-10, granting him direct access to Q2 tomorrow, along with fellow KTM riders Enea Bastianini and Pedro Acosta.

But despite the strong speed, Vinales says that he could limit his energy expenditure in the Sprint tomorrow in order to save his physical condition for Sunday’s race.

“I'll try to hold out all weekend, but if in the Sprint race I see that [my shoulder] starts to hurt more, then I'll save myself for the main race,” said Maverick Vinales after Practice in Malaysia, as reported by Motorsport.com.

“So, there's no doubt that I have to get rid of the pain somehow, because as soon as I get it, I'll be able to go fast. It still hurts a little when accelerating, but much less than in Australia.”

Vinales elaborated, saying that he hopes to maintain the same level of pain as Friday throughout day two in Sepang.

“I'll be happy if I keep the pain as I felt today,” he said. “If this continues, then we can aspire to something more in future circuits.

“Obviously, the performance will come as soon as I can demand more from the bike.

“Unfortunately, this bike only works when you push it to the limit.”

He added: “You can't just ride, you have to push the bike to the maximum at all times.”

Vinales also says that he is in better shape now than in Phillip Island, partly because of the the circuit itself but also because of the treatment he’s been doing since last weekend;

“Sepang is helping me, and so is the treatment I've been following since Phillip Island,” the Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider said.

“It's relieving my pain, and when it hurts less, I have more power. So I think that has its consequences. I still feel pain, but less.

“So the goal is to get to Portimao and Valencia trying not to have pain. Because as soon as I don't have it, I see profit.”

He added: “For example, when I have pain I can lift 5kg; without pain, I lift 12kg. That is the difference. 

“Above all, in the strange positions on the bike, where you are in a very extreme position, the difference is even greater. 

“As these are very small muscles, as soon as I have pain, my strength is zero. But I see that when the pain is less, then I can perform. 

“So the riding position is totally different on the left side. That's what I noticed today.”