- Tech3 confirmed the absence on 25 August, a few days before round 13 of the season
- Espargaro stands in for Vinales for the second time in a row after Silverstone
- The new comeback target is the Grand Prix of San Marino from 11 to 13 September
Three weeks ago the plan looked different. When Tech3 announced in early August that Maverick Vinales would miss Silverstone, the Grand Prix of Aragon was regarded as the date on which the Spaniard would get back on the bike. That date has now come and gone without Vinales appearing in the paddock. On 25 August the team announced that KTM test rider Pol Espargaro will again take over the RC16 with start number 12 this coming weekend. That makes it the second postponed return within just a few weeks.
Why is Maverick Vinales missing the Grand Prix of Aragon?
Vinales is out because his left shoulder is not yet able to take the load and he is continuing to focus on treatment. According to the announcement, the team, KTM and the rider took the decision together.
Team manager Nicolas Goyon justified the move by saying that Espargaro buys the team the time it needs. The test rider’s experience is an argument for calling on him again. On Vinales’ situation, Goyon said: “The most important thing for us is that Maverick takes the time he needs to recover properly. We are supporting him throughout this process and remain hopeful that we can welcome him back at Misano.”
The absence had been on the cards since the weekend. According to media reports from Italy, it was considered likely that Vinales would have to sit out Aragon as well. Official confirmation followed on Tuesday morning.
What is behind the absence medically?
Behind the enforced break is a small tear in the infraspinatus, a rotator cuff muscle that stabilises the shoulder joint. It was only discovered during the summer break at an examination at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre.
The origin goes back considerably further. Vinales injured his left shoulder in a crash at the Sachsenring, and the problem has followed him through the season ever since. At his most recent race outing, the German Grand Prix, he even retired because he simply lacked the strength.
What matters now is how the muscle responds to treatment. Vinales and his doctors are deliberately opting for therapy without surgery. An operation would carry the risk of ending his season. That is precisely why the timetable is being stretched rather than tightened, and precisely why the return date keeps slipping further back.
When does Maverick Vinales want to return?
Tech3 names the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Riviera di Rimini at Misano, from 11 to 13 September, as the new target. There is no firm commitment; the team explicitly speaks of a hope.
If it stays that way, Vinales will have gone around nine weeks without racing by the time Misano comes round. There is barely any reliable information about his condition. Last weekend he surfaced on social media for the first time in a while when he visited the mountain bike World Cup in France. Before that he had already been training on a bicycle himself.
Endurance, however, was never the problem. The issue is strength and stability in the shoulder joint, and that is something no outsider can read off. As long as Vinales is not actually on the bike at a race weekend, every date mentioned remains a statement of intent.
What Pol Espargaro brings as a stand-in
For Espargaro, Aragon is a home round. The 35-year-old Catalan contests his second Grand Prix of the season there, having already stepped in at Silverstone.
At Silverstone he finished 18th in the sprint and 13th in the race, which earned him three championship points. The weekend did not go entirely smoothly, and there is a technical reason for that. This year Espargaro is working primarily on developing the new 850 cc prototype for the upcoming regulations. That test bike runs on Pirelli tyres, while the current race bike uses Michelin. Anyone who has spent weeks on one package has to readjust to the other, and that costs lap time.
Espargaro himself expects to feel more comfortable in Aragon than on his first outing. For the team the double stand-in duty is not exactly a wish-list programme either: the regulations oblige Tech3 to field a replacement rider, while Espargaro is actually needed for the test programme.
What does the future hold for Vinales in MotoGP?
Vinales no longer has a seat for 2027. Tech3 confirmed the signing of Luca Marini on 26 August, and with that the place is taken.
Marini comes from the Honda factory team and will ride a KTM RC16 for the first time. The team gave no details about the contract term; the announcement merely refers to a commitment from 2027. In the paddock the talk is of two years. The second bike is expected to go to a rider stepping up from Moto2, with Senna Agius considered the favourite. Enea Bastianini, currently still Vinales’ team-mate, moves to Trackhouse Aprilia in 2027.
For Vinales that means a maximum of nine remaining Grand Prix starts in the premier class on paper. How many it actually turns out to be depends solely on the shoulder. The ten-time MotoGP race winner and former Moto3 world champion is therefore facing an open-ended finish to his time in the class.
The conflict with KTM in the background
The sporting situation is only one part of the story. In recent weeks Vinales has openly criticised KTM, accusing the manufacturer of retrospectively declaring an already signed contract extension invalid.
During the summer break reports emerged that KTM was considering an immediate split. Vinales rejected that on social media. Tech3 boss Günther Steiner made clear at Silverstone that the Spaniard has not been dismissed and is to see out the season. Asked whether there was any intention to put him back on the bike, Steiner said in essence that it depended on his health and that they would have to wait and see.
For the 2026 MotoGP season, Aragon is round 13. While Jorge Martin leads the standings on 240 points ahead of Marco Bezzecchi and Ai Ogura, a very different question is being decided at Tech3: whether one of the fastest riders in the field will be able to end his premier-class career on track at all.
Frequently asked questions
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Why is Maverick Vinales not racing in Aragon?
Maverick Vinales is out with ongoing problems in his left shoulder. During the summer break a small tear in the infraspinatus was diagnosed, which is currently being treated without surgery. Tech3, KTM and the rider decided together that he would sit the race out.
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Who replaces Maverick Vinales at the Grand Prix of Aragon?
KTM test rider Pol Espargaro takes over the RC16 with start number 12. It is his second outing in a row after already riding for Vinales at Silverstone. His team-mate is Enea Bastianini.
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When will Maverick Vinales return to MotoGP?
Tech3 names the Grand Prix of San Marino at Misano from 11 to 13 September as the target. There is no binding commitment; the team speaks of a hope. Aragon had previously been named as the return date and was then dropped.
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Will Maverick Vinales still be in MotoGP in 2027?
As things stand, no. Tech3 signed Luca Marini for 2027 on 26 August, and the second bike is expected to go to a rider stepping up from Moto2. That leaves Vinales a maximum of nine Grand Prix starts this season.
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How did Pol Espargaro perform at Silverstone?
Espargaro finished 18th in the sprint and 13th in the race, taking three championship points. The switch was difficult for him because this year he mainly tests the 850 cc prototype on Pirelli tyres. He expects an improvement in Aragon.
