Marco Bezzecchi
Maverick Vinales enjoyed his most successful stint in MotoGP with Yamaha towards the end of the 2010s, and has revealed why he ‘regretted’ the decision to leave the Japanese constructor in 2021, despite it now being considered the right move.
Since joining the premier class as a hot prospect in 2015, Maverick Vinales has largely failed to live up to the hype that surrounded his emergence as a MotoGP rider.
The Spaniard has bounced between a multitude of constructors as his career has ensued. He began with Suzuki, before surprising himself against Valentino Rossi at Yamaha, moving on to Aprilia and then finding a home at KTM.
Top Gun secured eight of his 10 premier class victories with the Iwata-based outfit between 2017 and 2021.
However, the relationship between both parties suddenly broke down and ended with an immediate termination of his contract after he’d signed with Aprilia for the following campaign.
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Maverick Vinales ‘regretted’ not taking Yamaha’s ‘large sum of money’ before Aprilia switch
In a recent interview with GPOne, Vinales offered an honest recollection of his move from Yamaha to Aprilia, noting how he feels lucky to have not suffered from the Japanese constructor’s recent woes in the premier class.
Asked if he has any regrets over the way the move happened, the Spaniard replied, “It’s always difficult when it comes to the future. When I left Yamaha, I regretted it.
“It was a large sum of money, but in hindsight, I can say that I was lucky, and now I’m not complaining. In sporting terms, it was probably the right decision.
“I was riding an Aprilia that was improving, and in 2023-2024, I wouldn’t have been as fast with Yamaha as I was with Aprilia. I have no regrets about Aprilia; we just went our separate ways.
“It’s true, they had signed with Jorge, but it wasn’t just that; it was a time when I needed to see something else. There are no regrets, even though when we went to KTM, they still had Sterlacchini, and then he went to them!
“So we made decisions in advance without knowing what the future would hold. No one told me he would leave.”
Vinales then detailed the issues he experienced during his first year atop KTM machinery. His maiden campaign in orange was derailed by a swathe of injuries, which wasn’t helped by some severe chatter problems with the RC16.
He added, “Then there were the difficulties last year. KTM didn’t tell us anything. I don’t know if they knew, but we didn’t.
“So we made this choice looking for a good team. We didn’t know all the moves, but in the end, I don’t regret the decision.”
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Prove them wrong: KTM think Maverick Vinales is the best replacement for Pedro Acosta
Maverick Vinales is expected to lead the factory KTM team alongside Alex Marquez in 2027
With Pedro Acosta already understood to be on his way out of KTM in favour of Ducati for the 2027 MotoGP season, Vinales has reportedly been named to be the Spaniard’s successor at the factory outfit next year.
Not only that, but Alex Marquez is expected to partner with Vinales in Mattighofen, marking a decisive switch from the recently dominant Ducati bike to that of KTM.
The rider moves will take place during MotoGP’s new era of regulations, which is set to shake up the pecking order of today’s premier class grid.
It’s unclear who will emerge as a dominant force next year, and with the rider market already promising an exciting season, it should be fascinating to see where KTM find themselves in 2027.
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