VINALES FEARS A LOSS OF CONFIDENCE AHEAD OF QATAR GP

Maverick Viñales says he is dreading this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, but his concern is not the controversy surrounding the race. The Tech3 rider’s unease stems from his confidence on the bike, as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury sustained in 2025.

The Qatar event is still expected to go ahead despite the ongoing conflict and concerns about safety. Yamaha has withdrawn under a company-wide policy and could face sporting sanctions, while the rest of the grid is preparing to travel to Lusail.

Viñales, a two-time premier-class winner in Qatar, has struggled to regain full fitness and has competed in only 12 of the 19 rounds so far this season. He showed promise early in the Malaysian weekend but could not carry that form into the Grand Prix, underlining the difficulty he has had riding at the limit over longer races.

Speaking to the press at Sepang, he said: “I hope I can recover enough by then” to race in Qatar. He added that the weekend appeared set to proceed as normal, meaning riders would have to attend or risk penalties. “I’m dreading going there – not because of the situation there, but because I’ll have a completely different feeling. My confidence won’t be the same anymore.”

Viñales is also approaching a potentially significant point in his career. Qatar could be one of his final three premier-class appearances before Senna Agius is expected to replace him at Tech3. He has not secured a ride for 2027, although a Ducati test-rider position has been discussed in recent weeks. Viñales, however, wants to remain in a full-time seat.