Viñales questions KTM: “I don’t understand what they want from me”

Summary

Viñales questioned KTM’s handling of his future.
An unexpected invitation to test in Austria helped prepare his Motegi comeback.
He still wants another MotoGP opportunity, despite having no race seat for 2027.

Maverick Viñales has questioned what KTM wants from him, explaining his surprise at being invited to test the manufacturer’s future bike after being left without a race seat for 2027. The criticism comes as he prepares to return to MotoGP at the Japanese Grand Prix.

At Motegi, Viñales described a sequence of decisions he struggled to understand.

“The truth is, I don’t understand KTM,” he said.

The Spaniard had expected a factory-team opportunity before KTM changed direction. His subsequent exclusion from Tech3’s future line-up left him searching for another route to remain in the championship.

An unexpected test invitation reopened his season

Viñales explained that he had doubted whether he would race again this year. Günther Steiner’s invitation to the post-Austrian GP test therefore came as a surprise, particularly because it included the opportunity to ride next year’s machinery.

The Spielberg running helped prepare his return to competition. Tech3 subsequently confirmed medical and fitness clearance following evaluations at Red Bull’s Athlete Performance Centre.

Viñales rejoins Enea Bastianini at Motegi, restoring the team’s regular line-up after Pol Espargaró covered the rounds at Silverstone, Aragón, Misano and Austria.

Viñales returns with recovery still unfinished

The comeback follows a prolonged recovery from corrective shoulder surgery. Tech3’s announcement presented Japan as the next stage of that process, with Viñales acknowledging that he remains below full fitness.

“I’m not 100% yet, but I’m on the right track and I feel ready to take this next step,” he said.

At Motegi, his immediate task is to rebuild his feeling on the bike and assess how his shoulder responds across the weekend. Completing the programme will provide a more useful measure of his condition than the clearance alone.

Beyond this season, Viñales prefers to wait for a MotoGP opening rather than move to WorldSBK. A testing role is among the possible avenues as he seeks a way back onto the grid.

“I’m not ready to give up,” he insisted.

MotoGP returns this weekend, from 2–4 October, in Japan. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action at Motegi.

MotoGP today: FAQ

What time does Japanese MotoGP practice start?

FP1 begins on Friday, 2 October, at 10:45 in Japan, 02:45 BST in the UK, 07:15 IST in India and 11:45 AEST in Sydney and Melbourne. In North America, it starts on Thursday at 21:45 EDT in New York and Toronto, or 18:45 PDT in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Friday’s session deciding direct Q2 entry begins at 15:00 in Japan.

Is Red Bull returning to Honda in MotoGP?

Yes. Honda has confirmed that Red Bull will return as a partner of its factory MotoGP programme from 2027. Their previous partnership ran from 2015 to 2023. The reunion coincides with Fabio Quartararo’s arrival and the championship’s switch to 850cc bikes.

Is Maverick Viñales racing at the Japanese MotoGP?

Yes. Viñales is returning at Motegi after an absence caused by his shoulder injury. Ahead of the weekend, he questioned KTM’s intentions towards him and revealed that he had thought he might not race again this season.