Movistar Yamaha is motivated to make its mark in Mugello

Movistar Yamaha Prepare for Mugello round.

Below is the full report from Yamaha

Movistar Yamaha is motivated to make its mark in Mugello

The Gerno di Lesmo (Italy) based Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Team looks forward to arriving at the Autodromo del Mugello for this weekend's Gran Premio d'Italia Oakley, their first home race of the 2017 MotoGP season.

After a brilliant victory in France, where he showed a superb speed, Maverick Viñales is determined to keep the momentum going over the upcoming back-to-back races in Mugello and Catalunya to maintain the lead in the championship standings.

So far, he posted a three-consecutive podium run in the flowing hills of Tuscany, consisting of a win in 2012 (Moto3) and two third places in 2011 (125cc) and 2013 (Moto3). This weekend he will challenge for a place on the rostrum again.

To mark the team’s home race in Mugello, the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP teammates will show off a special livery again this weekend. Similar to the round in Jerez, both YZR-M1s will sport orange ENEOS branding on the lower cowling to highlight the long-standing partnership between Yamaha and JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy (the brand owner of ENEOS), that started in 2012.

The action at the challenging 5.2km circuit will kick off this Friday. Mugello hosted its first MotoGP event back in 1976 and became a permanent fixture in 1991. Soon it became a much beloved circuit amongst riders and engineers, as well as the thousands of enthusiastic fans that cheer them on, thanks to its mixture of uphill and downhill sections, a variety of fast and slow turns (six left, nine right), and its 1141m longest straight at the centre of the track, set within beautiful countryside of Tuscany, offering the spectators great views.

Maverick Viñales

Championship: 1st - Points: 85

After the race in Le Mans I could only say that I’m so happy and so pleased, the team was working at an incredible high level and I’m sure that we will continue like that. We have a really good bike for a circuit like Mugello, with a really good grip, and we have to make the most of that. With the championship being as competitive as it is, the next rounds will be all-decisive and it will be crucial to take the victory in Mugello, for sure I will keep fighting. We are going to push at our 100% and we'll try to do our best, as always.

Massimo Meregalli

Movistar Yamaha MotoGP - Team Director

After a strong week in Le Mans, where the whole team worked really well throughout the weekend, we now arrive in Mugello, which is the team’s home Grand Prix. We plan to deliver another strong performance here, at a circuit that has always been a good track for us. Maverick is still on a high from his victory in Le Mans, where we saw three Yamahas fight for podium places. We’re certain that with his determination, he will be fighting at the front again this weekend.

Images provided by Yamaha