Pablo Nieto still considers Maverick Viñales an exceptional rider despite his difficult situation—Why the Spaniard is nevertheless on the verge of leaving MotoGP
Maverick Viñales’ future in MotoGP is becoming increasingly uncertain. Following a falling-out with KTM and Tech3, a season marred by injuries, and a severe shortage of available seats for 2027, the ten-time MotoGP race winner appears to be nearing the end of his time in the premier class.
Ironically, it is Pablo Nieto—team principal of the VR46 team and a longtime companion of the Spaniard—who has now forcefully explained why a rider with Vinales’s extraordinary talent could have ended up in such a situation.
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Nieto reflects on his time with Vinales, whom he accompanied in 2013 on his way to the Moto3 world title. For the son of Spanish motorcycle legend Angel Nieto, there is no question that the 31-year-old is one of the most naturally gifted riders of his generation.
“He is one of the most talented riders I have ever seen in my life,” says Nieto. At the same time, he is convinced that Viñales has lacked one thing above all else over the past two years: luck. “He just had terrible luck with his injuries.”
Nieto: Injuries Can Change Everything
In Nieto’s view, MotoGP is a business that has little patience. Anyone who misses races and fails to deliver results quickly falls out of the spotlight.
“Unfortunately, in this sport—and really in almost all sports—the only thing that counts is what you showed in the last race,” explains the VR46 team manager. He is particularly clear about the consequences of prolonged injury layoffs: “If you miss races because of an injury, people here forget about you within a day.”
That’s exactly what happened to Viñales. Because the shoulder injury he sustained last summer made the start of the 2026 season extremely difficult and even forced him to undergo surgery, the Spaniard fell behind at precisely the moment when the rider market for 2027 was moving at breakneck speed.
While other riders were signing their contracts, Viñales was initially struggling to regain his physical fitness and thus fell behind on the rider market
“Practically no one is talking about him anymore”
For Nieto, it’s therefore understandable why Viñales is now hardly considered a serious candidate for a MotoGP seat next year: “Practically no one talks about you anymore, and that’s exactly what might have happened to him.”
It wasn’t a lack of talent, but rather the unfortunate timing of his injuries that put Viñales in this situation. Added to this is his increasingly strained relationship with KTM.
Vinales recently stated publicly that he had signed a contract that was “bad for my self-confidence” and was later declared invalid by KTM. In several interviews, he openly criticized the manufacturer and Tech3.
Understanding for Viñales and His Frustration
Nieto emphasizes that he hasn’t spoken with Viñales in detail about his situation. Nevertheless, the experienced team manager can understand his frustration.
“If, on top of that, the results aren’t there and you don’t feel comfortable with either the team or the bike—that’s my personal assessment, since I haven’t spoken much with him about it—then, as he himself says, he’s probably just a little burned out,” Nieto speculates.
This statement aligns with comments made by the Spaniard himself. At the Sachsenring, he spoke openly about feeling “burned out” and lamented that, of all times, during the most difficult phase of his career, he was receiving criticism rather than support.
The starting point for 2027 looks correspondingly difficult. KTM has already restructured its factory team, and most other manufacturers and teams have also largely finalized their rider lineups. Only a few spots are still considered open, which has reduced Viñales’ options to a minimum.