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Maverick Vinales reminded Aprilia why it signed him with a gritty sprint win – but does that change the math for 2025?
Aprilia racer Maverick Vinales achieved a significant milestone by winning a MotoGP race with three different factories at the Portuguese Grand Prix sprint race. It took him over two years and 50 Grand Prix weekends since joining Aprilia in 2021 to secure this victory, surpassing his teammate Aleix Espargaro’s achievements during this period. The question arises whether this win signals the start of a new era for Vinales and Aprilia in the MotoGP championship. Despite his impressive performance at Portimao, Vinales’ career has seen previous false dawns, including his struggles at Yamaha before joining Aprilia. His recent victory may be attributed to gaining confidence, a key weakness in the past, but it remains to be seen if this success will be a lasting boost for him.
