KTM MotoGP test rider Pol Espargaro has defended Maverick Vinales amidst his injury struggles<\/p>\n
KTM MotoGP test rider Pol Espargaro says Maverick Vinales has faced a situation with \u201cnot a good ending\u201d amid his ongoing injury struggles in 2026.<\/p>\n
The Tech3 rider is absent from this weekend\u2019s British Grand Prix due to ongoing issues with the shoulder he injured last July in a crash in Germany.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
As such, he has been \u201cfar, far from what he\u2019s able to achieve\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, that's a tricky story because if you are not here racing, nobody sees you; you don't have a seat,\u201d he said when asked if Vinales coming back before he was fit has harmed his chances of a 2027 seat.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if you come back injured, you do bad results, and people don't want you because you do bad results.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo there is not a good ending to that situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you are missing here, it's your brand and your brand is devaluing every day a little bit more.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what I'm 100% sure of is that Maverick is massively better than what he showed in the last races of this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Espargaro has come straight from an 850cc test at Jerez, with the Spaniard landing in the UK at 2am on Thursday morning.<\/p>\n