Maverick Vinales has firmly denied speculation that he will be dropped by Red Bull KTM Tech3 before the end of the 2026 MotoGP season, stating he intends to see out his contract despite mounting rumours of an early exit.
Reports surfaced suggesting KTM would replace Vinales with Pol Espargaro for the remainder of the season, citing ongoing shoulder injury issues and tension between Vinales, the team, and Tech3 CEO Guenther Steiner. Steiner has openly discussed his intent to revamp the rider line-up for 2027, fueling uncertainty about Vinales’ future with the team.
Responding via social media, Vinales wrote, “I start to read articles without sense. Last week I’ve been in the APC [Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre] and we start to understand why I’m not able to recover. I’m contrasting all this information with my doctors to check if this is the problem and what is the way to improve. Stop writing stupid articles about me, I will not race in SBK and I will finish the year as my contract says.”
While KTM has yet to officially respond to the rumours, Vinales’ statement appears to put speculation to rest—at least for the remainder of the season. However, his position for 2027 remains in doubt, with KTM reportedly in talks with several riders, including Luca Marini, Manuel Gonzalez, and Senna Agius, for next year’s Tech3 line-up.
For now, Vinales insists he’s committed to finishing the current MotoGP campaign with KTM.
