Maverick Vinales inconsist෴ency is the reason he has represented three manufacturers in ๊MotoGP, it has been claimed.

Vinales became the first rider in MotoGP to win grands prix with three different brands when he rode his Aprilia to victory at the Circuit of the Ameꦡricas.

It comp𓂃leted a remarkable hat-trick which even Valentino Rossi could not do.

But to establish himself as a true championship challenger, his consistency and mind-set must be pღroven, says TNT Sports’ Neil Hodgson꧃.

“His lac🐭k of performance took him down the road he’s gone down. That’s why he’s at Aprilia,” Hodgson said.

“He’s been at three manufacturers because he wasn’t strong enough on t𓃲he first manufacturer.

“The reality is that his inconsistency within ♛teams… eventu♛ally teams run out of patience with him.

“That’s the reality of what we’ve seen.

“His speed? He’s as fasꩲt as the fastest man in this paddock. Everything is 10♉ out of 10.

“But you need to be mentally strong in MotoGP. “Unfortunately, the slight weakness means he h🤡as dips in form.

“I struggle witꦅh Maverick because I am tryinℱg to work out the puzzle.”

Sylvain Gu🐭intoli replied: “I like what I see with Maverick and Aprilia.

“When he was💮 ♓at Suzuki he got his first victory at Silverstone, then he was signed by Yamaha to lead their effort in MotoGP.

“He was so fast, unbelievable in winter testing, but it never 🍒materialised. It ended in tears.

“When he was picked up by Aprilia, I thought it was a gamble ༺but it’s starting to pay off.

“The confidence is there. Maverick, mentally, can ♌be up and down.

“He’s a character, he’s uniqu💦🐓e, the only guy like that.”

Hodgson said: “He’s almost a bit too nice. You need a killer instinct, selfish o🐼n the track,𝔉 to beat the best.”

Vinales sits fifth in the MotoGꩵP standings after four rounds.

He is 29 points🔥 behind championship leader Jorge Martin.

A P9 aꩵt last weekend’s Spanish MotoGP was not the ide🏅al result, after entering on a high from his Texas glory.

But Vinales has fought ꧃at th🉐e front for the whole season so far, on a very competitive Aprilia which has become Ducati’s top challenger.

'The best I've ever seen him'

"In the past, he has had moments of brilliance then gone off the boil," Guintoli said abo꧃ut Vinales. 

"And he doesn’t know why. 

"He is ꦑso talented, so strong, when everything is in place and when he’s got🥀 full confidence, and when everything is flowing. 

"But then he can have really bad days as well, we know that.&n𓄧bsp;

"Sometimes he can qualify well then, in the race, haღve a really bad star𓆏t and not come back. Then in Austin he was absolutely amazing."

Hodgson reflected on COTA when Vinales lost pole position, then battled back to win: "Normall⛄y, he would work his way to seventh, then be in the fastest laps of the race, ༒and you think ‘what a waste of a weekend’. 

"But it was the way he passed everyone. 

"He was methodical, he didn’t miss an ap🏅ex, he was decಞisive, instinctive. 

"It was the best I’d ever seen him ride a motorcycle. Balanced and aggress🌌ive."

Guintoli replied: "He was in a league ofꦚ his own. He looked like he was racing in a different category."