VINIALES’ RED BULL RING RETURN STILL UNCERTAIN AFTER SHOULDER PROBLEMS

KTM has poured cold water on any certainty that Maverick Viñales will be back on track at the Red Bull Ring next weekend, with the team’s motorsport leadership describing his MotoGP return as a genuine coin flip.

Speaking ahead of the Austrian round, KTM motorsport director Pit Beirer said Viñales’ participation is still “very doubtful,” explaining that the decision is being driven by medical clearance rather than team planning. Beirer said the schedule for check-ups has been shifting week to week, adding: “We move the doctor's date from week to week, because now we all decided it's not up to us with our thinking when he is fit, to really get the green light.”

Beirer’s own assessment was equally cautious. “But it's absolutely not confirmed, and also my own feeling is this is still 50/50,” he said, while also expressing a hope that the next medical review will move things forward. “But I hope this Monday he will have another checkup, and the target is to be in Spielberg.”

Viñales has been sidelined again due to ongoing shoulder problems stemming from the injury he first suffered at the Sachsenring last July. During the summer break, he was diagnosed with “a small tear in the infraspinatus,” and KTM says the issue has left him without the strength to muscle the RC16 effectively from side to side.

Beirer elaborated on what that means in riding terms. “The outside rotation is missing a lot of power compared to the other arm,” he said. “And we were always wondering why change of direction is so difficult, or he's losing all the time in this moment.”

According to Beirer, Viñales can still look reasonably comfortable through corners, with the bike’s behaviour and the data appearing normal. The problem comes when the rider needs to rapidly change direction and pull the machine over from left to right. “When he's in the corners, everything looks fine, the data looks fine, [but] change of direction, when you need to pull the beast over from left to right, that's what his real problem is.”

KTM’s position is that the rider may be able to sit on the bike and ride, but MotoGP demands more than that. Beirer summed it up by saying: “So he can sit [in the correct position] and ride, but MotoGP is more than sit and ride. So I think in Spielberg, we are close, and then [we’ll see if it’s] yes or no - I really hope we have him back then.”

The team’s medical approach involves multiple specialists and a group discussion. Beirer said: “We have his Italian doctor who made the surgery, both physios and us, and then we talk as a group if it makes sense or not.”

If Viñales is not cleared in time for Austria, KTM has already mapped out the next steps for the remainder of the European portion of the calendar. Beirer indicated that test rider Pol Espargaro would continue as Viñales’ replacement for the final European round before the flyaway events.

Looking beyond the immediate question of Viñales’ health, KTM’s wider grid plans were also referenced in the report. HRC’s Luca Marini is confirmed to be moving to Tech3, while rookie Senna Agius is expected to complete the 2027 lineup as his team-mate.