KTM CONSIDERS REMOVING MAVERICK VIÑALES FROM TECH3 BEFORE THE BRITISH GP

Maverick Viñales’ future with Tech3 is under threat, with Motorsport and Autosport reporting that KTM is considering removing him as early as the British Grand Prix next weekend. Both outlets say KTM has been weighing the quickest route to end the partnership, and that the team has already contacted Pol Espargaró as a potential replacement. The plan being discussed would see Espargaró step in at Silverstone, with the possibility that the move could be extended beyond that single event to cover the second half of the 2026 season. At this stage, the reports frame the situation as a decision KTM is actively studying rather than a confirmed, final outcome.

A further report from MotoGP News adds detail to how the situation has escalated inside the KTM-backed satellite team. It claims Tech3 are looking to “remove” Viñales “as soon as possible” amid “enormous tension” following a contract dispute involving the Spaniard and a reported factory agreement he had signed for the 2027 season. The same report says Viñales had been facing a complete exit from the MotoGP grid at the end of 2026 due to a lack of options, but that he may not even last that long.

MotoGP News also points to the “very vocal and public” nature of Viñales’ comments about his situation at Mattighofen as a key catalyst. It says the dispute intensified during the German Grand Prix race weekend, when Viñales accused KTM of reneging on a deal that had already been signed. The report claims Viñales was the only party who “put pen to paper,” while KTM moved back on the agreement after concerns were raised over his fitness levels.

In addition to the contractual fallout, MotoGP News cites Viñales’ shoulder problem as another factor. It notes that he entered the 2026 campaign with high hopes after a winter that included extra training sessions with Jorge Lorenzo, but that the shoulder injury from last year’s German GP continued to hinder him. It adds that he missed three rounds earlier this year because of the issue. MotoGP News further underlines the ongoing concern by stating that since his first attempt to return from the shoulder injury in Barcelona last year, he has not started or finished a race higher than 13th, and that he has had three separate absences due to the same injury.

Crash.net adds further context to the timing of any potential switch. It notes that the 2026 season resumes on 7–9 August at Silverstone, but suggests Viñales could be gone before that restart. It also reports that Viñales is set to leave KTM at the end of 2026, with both factory seats full and Tech3 KTM expected to run an all-new roster for 2027, avoiding any continuation with riders currently associated with the Mattighofen brand. Motorsport.com is cited as saying that Viñales’ increasingly severe criticism of KTM’s handling of his situation, along with tension with Tech3 CEO Guenther Steiner, has accelerated the process. Crash.net also highlights that the shoulder injury from Germany has not yet fully healed.

MotoGP News adds that KTM have already confirmed Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez as their 2027 factory riders, and says Tech3 are expected to sign Senna Agius alongside Luca Marini for a new line-up.

However, Viñales has responded directly to the rumours. In an Instagram story, he wrote: “I start to read articles without sense,” adding that he has been at the APC (Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre) and “we start to understand why I’m not able to recover.” He also told followers: “Stop writing stupid articles about me, I will not race in SBK and I will finish the year as my contract says.” Crash.net says it contacted KTM about the reports but had not received a response at the time of publication.

If Viñales is absent from Silverstone and the rest of 2026, Crash.net reports that Pol Espargaró would step in, and it adds that Espargaró is a KTM test rider. It further states that Espargaró was unable to replace Viñales earlier in the season when Tech3’s rider had shoulder surgery because of his own injuries; instead, Jonas Folger covered the final race Viñales missed after the surgery took place in early April, following the US Grand Prix.

With the situation now moving quickly, MotoGP News says Espargaró has been called up to replace Viñales at the first round of racing back from the summer break, and that KTM is “exploring ways” to remove Viñales in a manner that avoids penalties, whether related to its “image or financially.”