NEIL HODGSON DOUBTS MAVERICK VIÑALES WILL RETURN AS HE QUESTIONS KTM’S MOTIVES

Maverick Vinales’ prolonged absence from MotoGP has sparked fresh questions about his future with KTM and Tech3, with former rider Neil Hodgson suggesting the situation may be more than just a straightforward injury story. Vinales, 31, has not raced for Tech3 for the past four rounds—at Silverstone, MotorLand Aragon, Misano and the Red Bull Ring—while he continues recovering from a shoulder problem.

The issue traces back to a crash during qualifying for the 2025 German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, when Vinales fractured the greater tubercle of the humerus and also suffered ligament damage and a supraspinatus impingement in his left shoulder. Although he underwent surgery in March 2026 to remove a loose screw, the operation did not resolve the underlying discomfort. A further test during the summer break in August reportedly showed a small tear in the infraspinatus, which has kept him sidelined for the last four Grands Prix.

Hodgson believes the lack of communication from Vinales is the most “fishy” element of the entire case. Speaking on TNT Sports 2 on 19/09, he said: “One of the strange things for me with all this story is we’ve not heard anything from Maverick. Like, surely by now he would have done a video or been like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry to all my fans’. We’ve heard nothing.” He added that the silence does not fit with what fans would expect from a rider missing races: “That’s the bit that’s fishy for me. That I don’t really know; this all just doesn’t add up to me.”

The former World Champion went further, speculating that KTM may have arranged a financial settlement to keep Vinales away from the grid while Tech3 moves on. Hodgson suggested a scenario in which KTM could pay out the remainder of Vinales’ contract if he stays quiet and does not push for a return: “It makes you wonder if there’s been the chat of, ‘Look, we’re going to pay you out of your contract. Don’t worry, we’ll pay everything up. We don’t need [you] to ride for the rest of the year. Pol’s going to replace you. Don’t be slagging us off on social media. Let’s just keep your head down. Keep your head down. Thanks for everything’.”

Vinales’ factory KTM contract is set to expire at the end of 2026, and Tech3 has already moved to secure riders for 2027, signing Luca Marini and Senna Agius. In the meantime, Pol Espargaro has taken Vinales’ place at Tech3, and Hodgson pointed to the performances in Vinales’ absence as part of why the story feels unresolved.

The speculation has been fuelled by earlier reporting and Vinales’ own responses to it. In August, claims circulated that KTM were looking to replace him at Tech3 for the rest of the 2026 season, amid tension between Vinales and the Austrian manufacturer. Those reports followed Vinales publicly criticising KTM over a U-turn regarding his future. Vinales denied the idea that he would be replaced, insisting that “I will finish the year as my contract says.”

Tech3 later confirmed that Vinales would miss the British Grand Prix due to injury, but he has not made any public statement since withdrawing. The sources also note that Vinales had previously claimed KTM promised him a factory seat for 2027, which he says did not happen because of his injury—KTM instead signed Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez.

With KTM and Tech3 committing to other riders for 2027, it is believed Vinales may not continue in MotoGP beyond his current KTM deal. The reporting suggests he could retire when the contract ends rather than switch to another series such as World Superbikes. There are also claims that Vinales refuses to undergo season-ending surgery on his shoulder, a decision that—if true—would effectively bring an end to his premier-class career.