MAVERICK VIÑALES SLAMS MOTOGP OUTLETS AFTER REPORTS LINK HIM TO A KTM/TECH3 EXIT

Maverick Viñales has pushed back hard against MotoGP outlets after fresh reporting linked his short-term future to KTM and Tech3, and after speculation emerged that he could be replaced while he continues to deal with a shoulder problem.

According to the reports that prompted his reaction, KTM were said to be looking to move on from Viñales as soon as possible due to concerns over his health. The same coverage suggested that, with Viñales sidelined by his injury, Pol Espargaro could be drafted in until the end of the season—an idea that would keep the Spaniard away from the grid. In response, Viñales took to social media and criticised multiple outlets for what he described as “nonsense” articles about his situation.

In an Instagram story, Viñales said he had started reading articles “without sense.” He explained that last week he was at the APC center and that he and his medical team were working to understand why he has not been able to recover. He added that he is “contrasting all this information with my doctors” to determine whether the shoulder issue is the root of the problem and what can be done to improve it. Viñales then urged the media to stop publishing what he called “stupid articles” about him, stating: “I will not race in SBK, and I will finish the year as my contract says.”

The reporting he reacted to was framed as being based on information from a MotoGP insider, Rosario Triolo. The source notes that Triolo, like other insiders, is expected to verify information with credible sources before publishing, and that the substance of the reporting was that Viñales’s shoulder issue was serious enough that surgery had been required, with further details expected to be available days later. In that context, the source argues that Viñales’s anger at the press was misplaced, particularly because the coverage was presented as grounded in verifiable information rather than reckless rumours.

The source also points out that speculation about Viñales’s future with Tech3 and KTM had been circulating well before the latest health-related reports. It highlights that some members of the media space had previously defended him, suggesting that KTM had not shown him enough empathy during a difficult period of his career. The same publication references earlier reporting that teams felt KTM had lacked empathy toward Viñales.

While acknowledging that Viñales has reason to be frustrated, the source suggests his response may be aimed in the wrong direction. It notes that Viñales’s outburst at the German Grand Prix was presented as evidence that he is unhappy with how the season has gone and with how Tech3 has handled matters. However, the source maintains that attacking journalists for reporting information that is already in circulation—especially when it is described as verified—was unnecessary.

Overall, the dispute centres on how Viñales interprets the reporting about his health and contract situation versus what outlets claim they are publishing. Viñales’s message, delivered through his Instagram story, was clear: he is consulting doctors to understand his condition and is asking outlets to stop what he calls senseless reporting, while also reiterating that he will not race in SBK and intends to complete the year according to his contract.