Is the MotoGP career of Maverick Viñales set to end prematurely?
Maverick Viñales could walk away from MotoGP before the end of 2026, with the Tech3 KTM rider facing further medical checks on his troublesome shoulder.
Maverick Viñales could have already made his final MotoGP appearance, with the Spaniard admitting he will walk away from racing if medical examinations reveal further problems with his troublesome shoulder.
The Tech3 KTM rider has endured a difficult 2026 campaign, with the lingering effects of an injury sustained at last year's German Grand Prix continuing to cause problems. The Spaniard has already undergone surgery on the shoulder, although he has struggled to get back to anything approaching his previous level.
His latest setback came at the Qatar Grand Prix, where Viñales finished 13th out of 16 riders and just a place ahead of Jakes Dixon, who was standing in for Luca Marini on the factory Honda. The result is in stark contrast to his performance at Lusail 12 last year, when he was fighting towards the front of the field.
The 31-year-old is now scheduled to undergo further medical examinations, including scans, to establish why his condition is not improving. And, judging by his comments following the Qatar race, there is a genuine possibility that he could decide enough is enough.
“I can't improve, and I don't like being behind. I hate every lap I spend in this situation”, Vinales said.
“So, if I find that there's nothing positive about something and that I can't improve, I'll stop.
“I have no motivation to continue because, if I feel like this, there's no point in getting on a bike and riding at 50%.
“So we'll see if something is broken and if I can fix it or not”, he concluded.
Viñales has been particularly frustrated by his inability to ride at full fitness, admitting that continuing to circulate towards the back of the field is taking its toll as much mentally as it is physically.
He has also suggested that if doctors discover something is still seriously wrong with the shoulder, he will stop racing rather than continue putting himself through the same problems.
Further surgery could remedy the problem, although a lengthy period of rest and rehabilitation would also be needed. However, if neither option offers a realistic prospect of improvement, Viñales has indicated that his racing career could be over.
Summing up his situation at the end of a long season, Viñales said:
“Maybe I'll need surgery, or maybe I can recover gradually by staying home and following a proper rehabilitation program … If that's not possible, for me, it's over, because it's really very complicated.”
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
