​Maverick Vinales has called for stronger backing from KTM and Tech3 as he continues to recover from injury, arguing that he is being treated more as a target for criticism than as a competitor. The Spaniard hit a new low at last weekend’s German Grand Prix, becoming the slowest rider in the entire field. He was 19th in qualifying, more than a second off the pace, and finished last in the sprint, over eight seconds behind Cal Crutchlow, who stood in for Johann Zarco. Sunday’s race proved even tougher, with Vinales lingering at the rear for much of the distance before pulling into the pits with four laps remaining, citing fatigue and a lack of fitness as reasons he could not finish the event.
The Sachsenring weekend suggested that Vinales’s return to form is not a smooth, linear process. In the weeks prior, there had been encouraging signs of progress following the collarbone fracture he sustained exactly a year earlier at the same circuit. Yet the latest round exposed the fragility of his rehabilitation and the ongoing challenges he faces in finding consistent pace and durability.
Vinales admitted that the current situation has been particularly tough because he feels unsupported by those around him. “Right now, I need some support from the team, but all I get is criticism,” he said after Sunday’s session. “It’s really hard to keep going because sometimes they’re happy to see me, but other times it’s like I’m a stranger.”
Since undergoing surgery at the end of April to address a screw that had loosened after the initial shoulder operation following last year’s crash, Vinales has shown flashes of speed without delivering the sustained performance KTM needs to secure a longer-term contract for 2027 and beyond. The lingering question remains whether he can recapture his earlier form and justify continued investment from the factory squad and Tech3.
The protracted recovery has grown increasingly taxing for Vinales, who is determined to return to competitive level after a year marked by injury woes. “I don’t have any strength on the bike; I couldn’t help but slide out at every turn,” he said. “I don’t even know if it’s fixable. I’ve considered putting myself in the hands of Marc Marquez’s doctors.” He added that his recovery timeline remains uncertain, noting that the operating surgeon had indicated he might not be fully recovered until Indonesia. That prognosis is far from ideal for a rider eager to show he can again contend at the front.
With that in mind, Vinales plans to spend the summer at the Red Bull Performance Centre in Austria to focus on training and conditioning. “I don’t know what to do,” he admitted. “I guess I’ll spend the summer in Austria, training.” The broader MotoGP community continues to watch closely as Vinales navigates this difficult phase, hoping for a breakthrough that could restore his standing within KTM and Tech3 and set the stage for a renewed bid to reestablish his speed and consistency in the years ahead.