KTM MotoGP test rider Pol Espargaro has defended Maverick Vinales amidst his injury struggles
KTM MotoGP test rider Pol Espargaro says Maverick Vinales has faced a situation with “not a good ending” amid his ongoing injury struggles in 2026.
The Tech3 rider is absent from this weekend’s British Grand Prix due to ongoing issues with the shoulder he injured last July in a crash in Germany.
It’s an issue that has plagued Maverick Vinales all year, with his results suffering and his chances of staying on the grid vanishing, leading to a rift between himself and KTM.
Pol Espargaro, who will sub for Vinales at Silverstone, believes the latter has been between a rock and a hard place with his injury this year.
As such, he has been “far, far from what he’s able to achieve”.
“I mean, that's a tricky story because if you are not here racing, nobody sees you; you don't have a seat,” he said when asked if Vinales coming back before he was fit has harmed his chances of a 2027 seat.
“But if you come back injured, you do bad results, and people don't want you because you do bad results.
“So there is not a good ending to that situation.
“When you get injured in that sport, it's tricky because it's not like a collective sport like football, for example, where if you don't perform, you have team-mates that can be on your position, and you have more time to rest and you don't have the eyes on you as much as here.
“When you are missing here, it's your brand and your brand is devaluing every day a little bit more.
“So, I understand all the situations. I could understand that Maverick would stay home thinking about his health, and I understand that Maverick came back – because I did – but not 100% trying to perform.
“But what I'm 100% sure of is that Maverick is massively better than what he showed in the last races of this year.
“Since last year's injury, Maverick is struggling, and for sure his performance on the track is far, far from what he's able to achieve.”
Espargaro has come straight from an 850cc test at Jerez, with the Spaniard landing in the UK at 2am on Thursday morning.