A pair of second place✅s at Jerez marked Maverick Vinales' best start to a MotoGP season s✅ince 2017.

But being left runner-up to fellow Yamaha rider Fabio Quartararo on both occasions also mean𝓰s that, while iꦺnjured reigning champion Marc Marquez is currently out of the picture, a new title challenger looks to have emerged.

It won't just be Quartararo that Vinales needs to watch at Brno this weekend, with the Ducatis expec🍎ted to be much stronger at the Czech track while team-mate Valentino Rossi was also back on podium form 🔯in Andalucia.

Vinales has only made one previous MotoGP podium appear🐭ance at Brno, a third place in 2017, while Yamaha has jꦛust one win at the circuit in the last nine years. However, his own pace combined with the factory's podium sweep in the sweltering Jerez heat means the Spaniard is in confident mood.

"We start the next part of the championship in a positive mood," Vinales said. "Overall, the two race weekends in Jerez were good, the bike was working well, even in the extreme heat, which is something we used to struggl♋e with.

"Seeing this progress makes me even more excited a♕nd curious about what we can achieve in Brno this weekend.

"My team has been doing a great job so far, and we are working in the right way, so I think weཧ can get some very positive results at the next three GPs, especially this Sunday.

"Brno is one of my favourite circuits, and🌌 we want to do well at this Monster Energy-sponsored event, so for sure we will do our best to be at the front again and fight for the win."

Vinales is the only rider on the grid to have already opened all five of his engines for this season, with one (which suffered a technical problem during fre﷽e practice for the Jerez season opener) already withdrawn.

For comparison, Vinales only ope🅺ned his final♐ engine of last season at round 15 of 19 and finished the season without any engines being withdrawn.