In the first of a 2019 series of personal and revealing Blogs about his life and existence in MotoGP, Monster Energy Yamaha’s Maverick Viñales talks to us about coping with nerves and preparing for the pressures of a Grand Prix…
“The butterflies are always there. Even from my first race in the world championship and up until the last few in MotoGP. It is something I like, and it makes me emotional and excited: that feeling and motivation to go for the victory. When I feel pressure then this is when I work the best. I would not say it is stronger at Qatar for the first GP…it is the same everywhere. When you have a good qualifying then I am more relaxed because I know my goal is easier to reach and I am ready.
The time on the grid is so slow! It is the longest twenty minutes of my life and it always feels that way. I’m always asking the guys around me ‘what’s the time?!’
When I was a kid I was difficult. But I was always good. I never fought; I never stole anything or behaved badly. I was good at my studies. I grew up with my grandfather and he gave me a good sense of discipline. When I was ten years old I was racing but he was making me go cycling and other small ways to train: it was a way to prepare for what I am doing now and I appreciated it. For sure it was not easy as a kid to follow these kinds of routines and to understand his strong mentality and values but I think the self-discipline I have now and the commitment with the whole team and all the people around me with my racing is because of that. I’m thankful.
He always showed me the good way. He made me learn that I had to be polite and correct: a gentleman. Words can have a big effect in your life and sometimes it is better to shut-up and just work.
This all helps you to be the best person and athlete you can be and to deal with situations of pressure.
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