The post-Assen announcemeꦍnt to annul the second (2022) year of Vinales' deal came at a time when tea🤪m-mate Fabio Quartararo was leading the world championship and immediately after Vinales finished second to the Frenchman in the Dutch Grand Prix.

The fact that Aprilia, then without even a MotoGP podium for 🧜its RS-GP, was his only viable destination only added to the intrigue.

The Aprilia꧑ move was made official shortly after Vinales was suspended by Yamaha in Austria and 🐬subsequently reached immediate exit terms.

Fast-forward two years and, while Vinales is yet to add to his eight wins at Yamaha (and earlier victory for Suzuki), Aprilia has now risen from last to third ꧙in the MotoGP constructors’ table🌠 while Yamaha has dropped from first to last.

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Quartararo has likewise ꦛslipped to 🍎ninth in the current riders’ standings, just behind the top Aprilia of Vinales’ team-mate Aleix Espargaro.

Vinales, second in the Portimao season opener, is currently 12th in the standings but believes the frustration he felt during his final years on the M1 is now ꦕbeing replicated b🎶y Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli.

“I really believe time would give the reason why I left [Yamaha],” Vinales 𝓀said at Sachsenring. “I think a lot of riders now, I can see that they complain, as I was complaining three years ago.”

The Spaniard, who ha🅠s signed with Aprilia until the end of 2024, is currently in competition with KTM’s Jack Miller to become the first rider to win MotoGP races for three 🦹different brands.