VIÑALES REBUILDS CONFIDENCE WITH STRONG MOTEGI COMEBACK

Maverick Viñales left Motegi encouraged after completing his first MotoGP race weekend since returning from a shoulder injury that had troubled him since July 2025. Following a safety assessment with KTM at the Red Bull Ring, he and the team agreed he was ready to compete again. His results remained outside the leading group, but his confidence and pace improved through each session.

Viñales qualified 19th, about 1.3 seconds off pole, ahead of both Pramac Yamaha riders, Jack Miller and Toprak Razgatlioglu. He then completed the 12-lap sprint in 15th, again finishing in front of the Yamaha satellite team. In Sunday’s Grand Prix, he moved up to 14th and kept his lap times consistent over the longer distance, finishing ahead of the entire Yamaha contingent. His fastest lap was less than a second slower than Marc Márquez’s and 1.2 seconds behind that of Tech3 team-mate Enea Bastianini, who finished fourth and set the race’s quickest pace late on.

The 31-year-old said the weekend exceeded his expectations. “I thought the Grand Prix would be more difficult,” he explained, adding that his main concern had been arm fatigue under Motegi’s heavy braking rather than his shoulder. He still lacked some explosiveness on the bike, but believes more gym work can help. Most importantly, he said, he could feel the motorcycle and stay focused, with each session bringing improvement.

Viñales is looking forward to the next round in Mandalika, where he plans to push harder and continue building fitness. He described Motegi as “very good training.”

The weekend also brought a positive result for Tech3, with both of its factory riders reaching the finish. The report noted that the KTM riders were closer in performance than in recent races. In Moto3, all four Red Bull KTM youngsters scored points, while Álvaro Carpe claimed a podium.

Despite his promising return, Viñales faces uncertainty beyond the current season: he remains without a confirmed ride for 2027.