Movistar Yamaha MotoGP's Maverick Viñales had the honour to be the first MotoGP r💮ider to enter the revamped Kyalami International Race Track, in South Africa yesterday.

The historic track - which last hosted World Superbike in 2010 - 💮has been extensively modified and upgraded ༒by its new owners, after being auctioned off in 2014.

Vin🦩ales, who was taking part in the Yamaha R World Event, started proceedings with a private test session followed by a six-lap run accompanied by local Superbike and Supersport riders, plus ten lucky Yamaha customers, riding R1 ജand R6 bikes.

The morn𒈔ing session was followed by lunch and a press conference.

"The R World Riding Experience was so good! I really liked riding t🎀he bike and I‘ve 🐷been enjoying my stay in South Africa and riding at the Kyalami International Race Track a lot," Vinales said.

"The people that I met here were great and we had a lot of fun. A lot of fans came here, I‘m really happy and I appreciate the fans' a♊nd also the staff‘s🌠 support. I‘m just really glad to be here and I for sure would like to come back.

"The tr📖ack is really nice, it‘s like an old-school style track and I‘ve been enjoying riding the R1."

After the event, Vinales had some time left to enjoy su𓂃nny Cape Town before goin🀅g on a well-deserved holiday.

The Spaniard, who won three races during his first Yamaha MotoGP season, will be back༒ on his M1 during the Sepang test in late January.