Maverick Vinales: Valentino Rossi's crew working better than mine

Maverick Vinales has admitted MotoGP team-mate Valentino Rossi's side of the Yamaha garage is handling the team's tough 2018 season better than his.

Though Vinales is second in the championship, three points and two places ahead of Rossi, he has been beaten by his team-mate in the last two grands prix.

While Rossi took his second podium of 2018 with third at Le Mans last weekend, Vinales was 18 seconds behind in seventh.

He felt Rossi's side of the garage "worked much better" over the weekend.

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"We can improve to work better and make a better bike for the race," said Vinales.

"We are not working well inside the box, we will surely have to change things. It seems that I am the only one who suffers [at Yamaha].

"I'm a little sick of being behind but I decided to be here so I can't complain. The working method maybe has to change, because it is clear that something does not work."

Maverick Viñales (Yamaha Factory), Johann Zarco (Yamaha Tech3) - GP of France 2018

Image credit: Getty Images

Starting the French Grand Prix from eighth, Vinales was running as low as 13th in the early laps, and only broke into the top 10 on lap 11 of 27, helped by the crashes of Andrea Dovizioso and Johann Zarco.

Vinales said the first part of the race was "horrible", and he only managed to reach his eventual seventh place by taking large risks.

"I improved [because] I was trying to crash in every corner of the track," he said.

"I improved only for that because I don't want to finish the race 10th, I want to finish the race at the top.

"I didn't care if I crashed or not, I was trying my best.

"First part of the race was horrible, I don't understand why. I could not accelerate and many riders overtook me especially on the beginning of acceleration."

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