MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo believes Maverick Vinales has enough talent to fight for premier-class titles, arguing that riders “with less talent” have done so in the past.
Last month, Lorenzo revealed he would become Vinales’ rider coach, forming a new partnership aimed at unlocking the Spaniard’s full potential.
Vinales entered MotoGP in 2015 after just one season in Moto2 and was immediately seen as a future world champion. Despite showing speed at Suzuki, Yamaha, Aprilia and now Tech3 KTM, he has collected only 10 premier-class victories. His Yamaha stint began in 2017 as Lorenzo’s replacement, but it ended abruptly midway through 2021. During his three full years at Aprilia, he took only one grand prix win.
He started 2025 as KTM’s top performer before injuries halted his mid-season momentum.
Lorenzo has described Vinales as “intimidating” since his Yamaha days and maintains that his raw ability remains world-class. He argues that if riders with fewer natural gifts were able to battle for championships, Vinales should be capable of doing the same.
“He was one of my toughest rivals, especially when he joined Yamaha,” Lorenzo said on his podcast. “He shouldn’t envy riders like Rossi, Pedrosa, Marc Marquez or even myself. I always remind him that if others with less talent and natural speed have fought for world titles, there’s no reason he can’t.”
