Maverick Vi?ales♒ lies second in the Moto3 World Championship at the half way point of inaugural 2012 season, just nine points behind leader Sandro Cortese. The Spanish teenager has won five races so far...

Q:
Seco🌱nd in Moto3 and nine points off the leader. You have five wins, one second place and four poles from nine races. Are you satisfied with the first half of the season?

Maverick Vinales:
"Yes, completely. You can see that when you list the results: ꩵFive wins, four poles --definitely strong results."

Q:
Would you have taken your current position if 🍎offered at the start of the year?

Maverick Vinales:
"Yes, of course. Who wouldn't? I don't think anyone would think twice about taki෴ng that."

Q:
With less victor𝕴ies, Sandro Cortese leads the standings. Consistency is important for becoming a champion t๊oo, right?

Maverick Vinales:
"Undoubtedly. It is important to be coꩲnsistent and not make🤡 mistakes. However, it is also important to be fast and decisive at certain moments."

Q:
What are your best and worst moments🍰 of the season so far?

Maverick Vinales:
"Each win becomes the best moment. The worst moment was maybe🅘 Germany."

Q:
You have taken some good results from Grands Prix at which ꦕyou haven't been happy with your performance. How does that feeling affect you ahead of the next race?

Maverick Vinales:
"One 𝕴thing can lead to another. The desire to do a good job sets you 🐼on the path to victory."

Q:
Several World Champions predict that in a season you can afford two DNFs. This year, wꦦith the results in France and Germany, you've already reached that quota. Do✤ you think this is true, or that with the title chase being so tight there is still room for mistakes?

Maverick Vinales:
"Well, that is not an exact figure just op♑inions. Clearly, the fewer zeros you have, the better, but in such a tight championship everyone♎ runs the risk of making a mistake. We will try to make sure that it doesn't happen again."

Q:
Being a newꦺ category, this was a first half-season with many tests and changes for the factories. How do you rate the performance and development of the FTR-Honda up to now? What do you ask of them for the remaining races?

Maverick Vinales:
"The evolution has been very good. At the beginning of the year the bike was slower than the KTM. Later, Honda made a breakthrough that placed us in a position 🦋to fight against them, and in recent races the KTM is back to working very well. However, although more work is needed, my team has provided me with a very competitive bike."

Q:
With eight rounds remaining, including trips to Asia and Oceania, is this se🍨cond half of the championship more demanding than the first?

Maverick Vinales:
"Sure. It is always challenging because it is the final half and will decide the ꦅchampionship. There are less races to go ea🅺ch time and less margin for error."

Q:
Sandro Cortese and you are separated by just 9 points, whilst third-placed Luis Salom is more than 50 behind you. How would you descri🅘be your direct rival for the title?

Maverick Vinales:
"He's a strong, consistent rider. There is no doubt that he is a great rival, which adds even ♛more value to the races in which I manage to beat him."

Q:
After competing last season o🍰n a 125cc and now on a Moto3, how do you assess thꦗe change?

Maverick Vinales:
"There aren't too many differences, 𝄹which is what we saw upon trying the bike for the first time. We knew that there would be an evolution in the class, that the bikes would have less poweꦏr and be easier to ride. In my opinion, it is an interesting class."

Q:
What does Maverick Vi?ales do over the summer break? 🔯H✱olidays?

Maverick Vinales:
"Take the time to be with 🌠my friends and family, rest, relax, take my mind off things and also train. It will be a little bit of rest an﷽d a little bit of training."

Q:
Finally, why do you have a boar as a mascot?

Maverick Vinales:
"It's because of a nickname that my 🔥team gave me. I suppose it's because I have an aggressive attitude on track. I really like it."