Maverick Vinales reckons Marc Marquez and Andrea Dovizioso are his main rivals in the championship at this stage of the season, and reckons both will be ‘dangerous’ at Assen.
The Yamaha rider had his championship lead cut to just seven points following a difficult weekend in Barcelona in which he finished 10th.
Ducati’s Dovizioso tallied up his second successive win in 2017 at Catalunya, while Marquez moved to within 23 points of Vinales after taking the chequered flag in second spot.
Marquez is a four-times winner at Assen across the various classes, while Dovizioso boasts four premier class podiums at the Dutch circuit and was on pole position for last year’s race.
With Marquez also unbeaten at the Sachsenring – the scene of the next race – Vinales admits he and Yamaha need to return to their early-season form this weekend to curb his rivals’ momentum.
“Both at the moment (are my closest rivals),” he said.
“Both are dangerous in these two tracks. Marc is really fast in Sachsenring. Dovizioso was (fast) here (in Assen) last year, and also Marc was fast here last year.
“So we have to try to win, we have to become strong as we were in the first part of the season.
“We know we can do it, so we have to work, we have to get a good bike for the race as we did in Argentina and we have to try to be our vest in Assen.”
“I know it’s a good track for me, especially in the small categories. I win many races, been always on the podium, always in the fight, also in Moto2.
“So this year I think I can do a strong result and be strong as I was in the past.”
The 2017 YZR-M1 has struggled to manage tyres in hot conditions, something which affected both Vinales and Valentino Rossi at both Spanish rounds this season.
Desperate to resolve the issue, Yamaha scrapped a plan to go to Aragon to test to remain in Barcelona for two days after the race.
Vinales, along with Rossi, tried a new chassis during the test. The Spaniard was pleased with the upgrade and will continue to evaluate it this weekend.
“I’m going try it here in Assen. We want to give it an opportunity, because in Montmelo I feel really good, really fast and consistent.
“It’s good, when you have a good feeling, to try also in another track. We try here, we are going to see.
“I was really good on braking point and especially to keep the speed in the corner; in Assen this is very important.”
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