Ongoing Maverick Vinales shoulder trouble won’t vanish before German MotoGP

Maverick Vinales’ ongoing shoulder trouble will not be fixed before the German MotoGP, the Spanish rider thinks.

It was in Germany last year that Vinales first dislocated his shoulder, setting him on a path of what has turned into 12 months of recovery and several surgeries.

The Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider has been back racing since the Italian MotoGP at Mugello after having his most recent surgery post-US Grand Prix, but he is still lacking strength in his damaged right shoulder now.

In fact, coming back has potentially hampered his recovery, with Vinales saying he needs some time between races to allow him time to train and build the power back in his shoulder.

“The problem is that, with all these races back to back, I cannot train because I need to recover,” Maverick Vinales said after the Sprint at Assen last Saturday (27 June).

“Especially from Mugello, I was completely destroyed. So, I needed two weeks to recover [from] Mugello. 

“It's really good to be on the bike and I'm very happy to keep working on the bike, but as well I think the summer break will help me a lot. 

“It's hard because it's a big difference between right and left [shoulders], but I will try with all I have to get back to my level and especially physically, which is my target from here to the end of the season. This is my biggest target.”

A day after those comments from Vinales, he finished 13th in the Dutch Grand Prix, and said that he feels his condition has improved compared to when he first came back at Mugello, even if he is still missing power.

“It was not so bad,” Vinales said of the race.

“Very tough, because from yesterday I already started to feel more pain on the shoulder, but it was good, it was good. 

“I'm happy that I think I improved all my body conditions, especially on the right side, because the first race in Mugello was a disaster, especially for the arm pump, and here was fantastic. 
“I felt really good all the race there, the right arm. 

“However, I need to improve, because from [turn] six to seven, and in [turns] 13 and 14 I lose 0.6 seconds in those two corners. 

“The rest of the track I'm on the level of the best KTM. So, it's a matter of working hard and even trying to be better in the other places, because at the end it's a handicap of power, because I can see in the other places I'm quick.”