“Not forgotten” - KTM responds to Maverick Vinales frustration over MotoGP future

KTM Motorsport Director Pit Beirer says he understands why Maverick Vinales feels frustrated over the ongoing wait to resolve his Tech3 future.

On Thursday at Brno, the former Suzuki, Yamaha and Aprilia race winner, who has been recovering from a slow-healing shoulder injury for almost a year, said:

“It's almost July, and still I don't know anything about my future, so I think it's quite late from KTM.”

The Spaniard, who also claimed he had turned down the opportunity to sign for a rival team, added that he had gone from being in contention for a factory KTM seat to not even being sure of his Tech3 future.

“I can understand his frustration,” Beirer told MotoGP pit lane reporter Jack Appleyard at Brno on Friday.

“But he also needs to understand a little bit our side that somehow we need to create the best possible [rider] package.

“We gave him a lot of time to come back, and there is nothing we want more than to have him back to normal form.

“Today, for example, he’s doing great so far. If he continues like that, maybe he will be one of the guys in the Tech3 garage.

“But also, there is very strong leadership from Guenther [Steiner] in the Tech3 garage, which is great for us because I feel this will be a very strong team in the future.

“We agreed together that we’re going to wait a little bit on his places because so many [rider deals] are already done in this paddock.

“We have the chance to decide a little bit later, and it gives everybody who is involved a chance to show their strengths.”

“One of our favourite candidates”

While Vinales feels he has been left in limbo and is unable to sign elsewhere until a KTM option expires, Beirer insists the delay does not mean he has fallen down the pecking order.

“Yes, I can understand Maverick, and I don’t feel comfortable in that situation because he’s such a good boy and did so much for us at the beginning of last year when the others didn’t believe in the project," Beirer said.

“He was the only one of the four who really pushed the project forward. When he brought great results, that’s how we got Pedro [Acosta] back.

“So that’s not forgotten, but looking into the future, we need to do the best for the Tech3 garage.

“That’s why Guenther asked me to stay patient; that’s what we are doing, but it doesn’t mean Maverick is not one of our favourite candidates.

“Just give us a little bit more time.”

Enea Bastianini is expected to leave Tech3 for Trackhouse Aprilia next season.

However, Moto2 race winner Senna Agius and factory KTM rider Brad Binder are also believed to be on the 2027 Tech3 shortlist alongside Vinales.

Other former MotoGP race winners such as Jack Miller and Alex Rins are also in search of rides for the start of the 850cc era.

Meanwhile, the factory KTM team is set to run an all-new Alex Marquez and Fabio di Giannantonio line-up next season, in place of Pedro Acosta and Binder.

Vinales finished twelfth fastest on Friday at Brno, as the second-best RC16 after Acosta (sixth).