VIÑALES ISN’T READY TO TRADE RACING FOR A DUCATI TEST ROLE

Maverick Viñales is not ready to give up full-time racing, even though he currently has no place on the MotoGP grid for 2027. The Spaniard lost his Tech3 seat after team owner Guenther Steiner signed Senna Agius and Luca Marini. Viñales had expected to move to KTM’s factory squad, but his ongoing shoulder injury changed those plans; Alex Márquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio took the seats instead. He has also ruled out switching to WorldSBK.

A meeting with Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi at the Japanese Grand Prix prompted speculation that Viñales could become a test rider. Ducati needs test-riding support, with Michele Pirro turning 40 this summer and Nicolò Bulega set to race full-time in MotoGP with VR46 next year. Tardozzi has described himself as close to Viñales, while playing down the significance of their discussions.

But a test role may not suit a rider who still hopes to compete. MotoGP plans to ban wildcards next season, meaning a test rider would not automatically get race opportunities. A possible reserve-rider system could be more appealing, although no such arrangement is confirmed.

“I need a miracle to get back,” Viñales told Sky Sports Italy before the Australian Grand Prix. Asked about testing, he said: “I don’t know if I’m ready, I still want to race. Maybe I’ll be a reserve rider: I don’t wish injury on anyone, but it could happen that I’ll be sidelined for a long time, like I was this year.”

The 31-year-old recently made his 200th premier-class start, but his shoulder has already forced him to miss seven races. Any team considering him as a substitute would want confidence that the problem is behind him. His experience and ambition to earn a route back to the grid for 2028 could make him an attractive option, provided he is fit.

MotoGP has relied on 10 different test or substitute riders this season, and only the Brazilian round featured all 22 permanent riders. Toprak Razgatlioglu’s absence for the rest of the year is one example of how teams can need cover. Although next year’s bikes are intended to be safer, with smaller engines and reduced aerodynamics expected to lower cornering speeds, changes to the race weekend—including an additional qualifying session for the Sprint and the removal of warm-up—could complicate that picture.

A continued place within KTM appears unlikely amid recent tensions between Viñales and the manufacturer. For now, he remains focused on finding a way to race again rather than committing to a conventional test-rider position.