Maverick Vinales admitted that he has regained strength and muscle power following surgery, but he still does not know how long it will take to return to 100%.
The Tech3 KTM rider underwent an operation to recover a displaced screw from his left shoulder that had been hampering his performances in MotoGP at the start of the season.
The recovery period forced him to miss races in Austin, Jerez and Le Mans, prolonging an injury saga that began when he crashed during qualifying for last July’s German GP.
As he now prepares to make his comeback with Tech3 KTM at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Vinales said getting operated on during the season was the right decision.
“It’s such a hard moment to stay on the sofa, especially looking at my team-mates going so well,” he said.
“But it’s good that we decided to make the second operation because it was really necessary. So taking out the screw and cleaning all the joints was mandatory. If not now, in the summer, so it was a good moment to do it now.
“Then, in the last three weeks, I mostly lived in the Red Bull APC Centre [in Austria]. We make all the recovery and try to gain all the strength back.”
Asked if he has regained his strength, Vinales added: “Quite a lot, to be honest. I just have one muscle that is getting longer, but it’s because they go in with all the machines and everything. They broke the muscle, basically, to go in, and this needs time [to recover].
“But I feel good power. I have good power.”
Vinales was optimistic about his prospects for 2026 heading into the new season, having felt that he had made a full recovery over the winter. However, he failed to score a single point across Thailand and Brazil as he struggled with pain, forcing him to withdraw from the US GP after Friday practice.
The Spaniard said he is now in a much better condition physically, although he admitted there are still some limitations.
Asked if this was the best he had felt physically since before the crash, he replied: “In terms of mobility, yes.
“In terms of power, I work a lot in the winter. Of course, with natural shoulder power, yes, I’m more strong.
“But on the chest and on the back, I still could not really put a lot of load. So, in that area, I’m a little bit less than in the winter. But I think for riding [the bike] it is enough.
“Now we need to see where the deficits are and work on them.”
To prepare for his return, Vinales tested a supermoto bike and could immediately tell the difference.
“Before, I always had something limiting me; going out on the bike and feeling strange. Now I feel normal, which is a good sign,” he said.
Vinales’ future with KTM
Maverick Vinales, Red Bull KTM Tech 3
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
Before the start of the season, KTM had identified Vinales as a potential replacement for Ducati-bound Pedro Acosta, with the Spaniard being considered to join the factory team alongside the incoming Alex Marquez.
However, a tough start to the season and the subsequent injury layoff have changed the situation, with Motorsport.com reporting earlier this month that current VR46 rider Fabio di Giannantonio has agreed terms to take the seat originally earmarked for Vinales.
That means that Tech3 remains his only option to remain within the KTM stable, with the French team now likely to extend its relationship with the Austrian marque into MotoGP’s 850cc era.
Vinales stressed that it was important for him to make a full recovery as quickly as possible to continue racing for KTM next year.
“My situation is that I still have one more year on my contract. KTM has the right to renew,” he said.
“I have to wait and see. Obviously, our main target and, also from KTM’s side, is to see if I recover. Because if I don’t recover, I can be the best guy in the world [and still don’t have a seat]. This is business and this is racing. But if I recover, then it’s another story.“
He added: “The relationship we have is really good with KTM. I mean, especially with Aki [Ajo].
“They know clearly what I can do. They see that on the data every single day.
“But at this moment, I’m injured. I’m a racing horse, but if I’m injured, I cannot pretend to be pretty. I need to work.
“I have to recover. And then when I recover, I have the power to say ‘now’.
“But if I am like this…two weeks ago, I could not hang my arm like this. [So if it stays like this], they [will] say, ‘well, maybe we have to find another plan’.
“But this is totally normal. I totally understand. And now it’s time to work, to come back, and show, as I showed them last year, that even with the bike [not performing well] you can be there.
“So this is my plan, to recover and then ride 100%.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Team
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com
