‘People forget you in a day’ - MotoGP team boss on Maverick Vinales/KTM fallout

VR46 MotoGP team boss Pablo Nieto says Maverick Vinales is “one of the most talented riders I’ve ever seen”, but “people forget about you in a day” when results dry up.

The 10-time MotoGP race winner’s time in the premier class looks to be over, amid a worsening fallout between himself, KTM and Tech3.

Maverick Vinales had been due to move to KTM’s factory team for 2027, but injury struggles with the shoulder he injured last July hindered the start of his 2026 campaign and led to him missing out on that move.

He remained an option for Tech3, but claims he signed a contract that was “bad for my confidence” that KTM ultimately voided.

In recent weeks, he has taken several jabs at KTM and Tech3 in the press over the situation, as the latter closes in on signing Luca Marini and a rookie for 2027.

‘People only see what you did in your last race’

Nieto worked with Vinales when he won the Moto3 crown in 2013 and believes the Spaniard has been unlucky with the timing of his injuries.

As such, “practically no one” has been talking about him as a legitimate 2027 option.

“Unfortunately, in this sport—and practically in all of them— what people see is what you did in the last race,” Nieto told Mundo Deportivo.

“He’s one of the most talented riders I’ve ever seen in my life, but I think he hasn’t had much luck when it comes to injuries.

“Unfortunately, if you suffer an injury that forces you to miss races, people here forget about you in a day.

“Practically, no one talks about you anymore, and maybe that’s kind of what happened to him. 

“And if you’re not getting results and you don’t feel comfortable with the team or the bike—and this is just my opinion, because I haven’t really discussed it much with him—as he said himself, he’s definitely a bit fed up.”

KTM has elected to sign Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio for its factory team line-up next year.

Vinales’ injury struggles also came at a point when the 2027 rider market moved incredibly quickly, with few options remaining open even as he went for surgery when he withdrew from March’s US Grand Prix.

All factory team seats, aside from the second bike at the works Honda squad, have been assigned.

Gresini has solidified its line-up for next year, while the remaining satellite options all look to be earmarked already.

Vinales hasn’t spoken of any options outside of MotoGP he is pursuing, noting in Germany that he was “burnt out”.