He won the world title in 2013, repeated his Rookie of the Year status in the Moto2™ category in 2014 with another four wins from nine podiums, before being promoted to the premier class the following year.

It was MotoGP™ returnee Suzuki who nabbed the Spanish talent, who in turn earned Rookie of the Year status once again, before claiming four podiums and his maiden MotoGP™ victory the following year, handing Suzuki its first win since Australia’s Chris Vermeulen won a rain-soaked French Grand Prix in 2007.

Brimming with confidence, the sought-after Spaniard chose a factory Yamaha contract for the following season and began his 2017 campaign in stunning form.

He topped every session of every pre-season test on the YZR-M1 and kept a level head to win the opening two Grands Prix, both from pole position. Both he and high-profile teammate Valentino Rossi struggled on the 2018 YZR-M1, Vinales scoring just one win in 2018 – albeit a dominant one on Aussie soil – and used the winter break to reset and ready himself for the 2019 season.

With former 125cc world champion Julian Simon on board as mentor and rider coach, Vinales had a positive 2019, scoring two wins – at Assen and Sepang – to finish third in the championship standings.