Vinales: race 'in the trash' after poor start

Despite Vinales vowing to try a new formation lap procedure that involved putting more temperature into his tyres for Sunday's race, the Spaniard again had a poor getaway and struggled in the early stages.

He lost six positions at the start as he dropped to 10th, bur eventually finished sixth after recovering ground late-on.

"[It's] amazing - I don't know what to do anymore," Vinales said.

"I copied the same start that I did during the practices but the others started much faster and then I got into a wheelie and everyone overtook me.

"Honestly, [on the] first lap of the race is to put it in the trash and it's like this because then I was riding as fast as the top guys.

"[I had a] nice battle with Johann [Zarco], but I don't think it's the place to be. We have to be in front, at least close to Valentino [Rossi, who finished third] so there is a lot of work to do."

Vinales urged Yamaha to "give me the possibility to start well", as he did while he was with Suzuki in 2016.

"It seems to be [I am] the only Yamaha that has problems, I really don't understand.

"Anyway, 2016 I did great starts always with the other manufacturer [Suzuki] so they [Yamaha] need to give me the possibility to start well and then for sure [it's] going to be another race."

When asked if his different formation lap procedure had helped him, Vinales confirmed that he was better at braking in the opening laps, but explained that it was still "impossible" for him to ride the bike with full tank.

"For sure [the new procedure] helped," he said. "I was in much better condition in the beginning - at least in the braking area I could brake much better.

"But still with full tank for me it is impossible to ride the bike, I just go very wide everywhere and slide a lot on the tyres.

"In the first lap [there] was no turning on the bike, I just went behind Cal [Crutchlow] and it was amazing how bad we were going.

"Anyway after some laps, [it] was better and finally I could get sixth - but not the result I expect."