Vinales: It's going to be a unique kind of year

Fastest at the final pre-season MotoGP test in Qatar on February 24, Maverick Vinales has been waiting nearly four months for the chance to try and convert his winter form into race results.

The Yamaha rider still has another month to go before the revised 2020 season finally gets underway, at Jerez on July 17-19, but warmly welcomed the official publication of a 13-race European line-up.

"The announcement of the updated 2020 calendar is great news! It's something we all have been waiting for, for a long time, especially the fans," said Vinales, who was third overall with two wins in last year's world championship. "I think they love the sport just as much as we, the riders, do, so they must have really missed watching it.

"Of course I'm very excited to ride my M1 again and meet up with my crew. It's been a long time since we were testing in Qatar. It's going to be a unique kind of year, and it will be strange to ride without fans present at the track, at least for now.

"But I will do my best to make sure that we put on a good show at every round to entertain the fans watching at home."

The coronavirus delay has at least allowed Vinales time to recover after injuring his ankle and back in a motocross training accident on March 12, shortly after the cancellation of the planned season-opener in Qatar.

If the revised line-up remains at just 13 rounds, it will be the shortest premier-class season since 1986.

However, our recent look back at MotoGP stats showed the title outcome would only have changed twice since 2002 if the champion had been crowned after 12-rounds, but the use of back-to-back grands prix at the same circuit is truly unique.

A decision on adding any flyaway races to the line-up will be made by the end of next month, and depend on fans being allowed into the circuit.