Maverick Vinales returns for Valencia MotoGP finale after lengthy injury spell

The Tech3 KTM MotoGP team has confirmed that Maverick Vinales will return to action for the final round of the 2025 season at the Valencia Grand Prix.

The 10-time MotoGP race winner suffered a complex shoulder injury in a crash during qualifying at the German Grand Prix in early July.

He sat out the rest of the Germany round and the entirety of the Czech Grand Prix, before attempting a comeback in Austria.

He ultimately withdrew from the Red Bull Ring weekend after practice and missed the Hungarian Grand Prix, before competing at Barcelona, Misano and Motegi.

He has been absent since withdrawing from the Indonesian Grand Prix to focus on recovery.

But Tech3 has now confirmed will be back in action for this weekend’s Valencia finale, as well as the all-important post-season test.

“After missing the last three races to focus on shoulder recovery, Maverick Vinales is finally ready to make his return to racing in Valencia this week for the last one of the season,” a team statement read.

“Welcome back, Mav!”

Prior to his injury, Vinales had been KTM’s leading rider for much of the first half of the season, with the Spaniard breaking out in Qatar with a run to second.

A tyre pressure penalty dumped him to 14th, but Vinales managed consecutive top fives in the following two rounds in France and Britain, as well as a brace of top sixes at Assen.

KTM test rider Pol Espargaro has deputised for Vinales in his absence.

Espargaro has scored points in all but one of those appearances, with a best of eighth at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

He was 10th last weekend at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Vinales has slid to 17th in the standings on 72 points as a result of his injury layoff.

His shoulder injury is similar to the one that has taken reigning world champion Marc Marquez out of the remainder of the 2025 season, after the Ducati rider suffered this at the Indonesian Grand Prix.