VINALES SAYS KTM CONTRACT CUTS PAY AFTER THREE MISSED RACES

Maverick Viñales says a clause in his KTM contract has left him racing through significant shoulder pain: after missing three grands prix, his salary is reduced from the fourth absence onward.

The Tech3 rider has struggled since fracturing his shoulder in a crash during qualifying for last year’s German Grand Prix. He missed three early-season rounds for surgery, then sat out the first four races after the summer break. Viñales returned in Japan and finished 14th, but continued to have difficulties in Indonesia and Australia, where the injury remained painful.

He told reporters that continuing to ride was not what he wanted, but staying home would cost him financially. “For me, riding like this makes no sense, because I’m the first one who doesn’t want to be at the back, and because I’m suffering a lot,” he said. “My shoulder hurts, but if I stay home, I don’t get paid.”

Viñales said the injury happened while he was racing for KTM, but the contract terms still apply. “You sign that you can miss three races, and after the fourth, they start deducting money,” he explained. It is not clear whether the limit applies to consecutive absences or to missed races accumulated over time. The report notes that he has missed seven grands prix in 2026 and eight in 2025 because of injury.

The rider argued that the issue extends beyond his own situation. Although KTM is not the only manufacturer reported to use such clauses, Viñales said MotoGP riders need to press for better protections. “We have to push hard to change that, because this is a risky sport,” he said.

He pointed to fellow rider Toprak Razgatlioglu, who is expected to miss six races after a crash, as another example of how injuries can disrupt a season. Viñales also noted that the 2027 weekend format is set to add a sprint qualifying session, increasing the demands on riders. The source reports that since sprint races arrived in 2023, the average number of riders missing each round has risen from one to 2.5; in 2026, only one event has had the full-time grid intact.

Viñales has no confirmed place on the grid for 2027 after losing his seat, though he has been linked with a Ducati test-rider position. The contract dispute has renewed calls for a riders’ union, with the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association in Formula 1 cited as an example of an organisation that helps members protect their contractual interests.