Marco Bezzecchi
Maverick Vinales has certainly not had an easy go of it this season, but his former team manager thinks KTM have done him no favours.
Vinales seemingly giving up at the German Grand Prix did not go down well with KTM and Tech3, as they felt that it was yet another sign of the Spaniard not delivering for them.
Even with Pit Beirer admitting KTM’s bikes face a safety issue after the race, the criticism aimed at Vinales for ending his race early has been relentless.
What should KTM do with Maverick Vinales after his public outbursts?
When he hasn’t been underdelivering for Tech3 on the track, Vinales has been sidelined with injury, forcing the team to turn to wildcard riders.
But Maverick Vinales’ struggles might have come down to Tech3 not doing what they needed to, says his former boss and current VR46 team manager, Pablo Nieto.
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KTM now ‘don’t even talk’ about Maverick Vinales anymore after injury-riddled season
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto addressed the struggles of Maverick Vinales.
Nieto, who was Vinales’ team manager at Laglisse in Moto3 when the Spaniard won the Moto3 championship, suggested that his injury struggles have cast a negative light on his standing with KTM and Tech3.
“Unfortunately, in this sport, and practically in all sports, you’re only known for what you did in your last race or something similar.
“So, Maverick and I also won the Moto3 World Championship in 2012, which we won together. He’s one of the most talented riders I’ve ever seen, but I think he hasn’t had much luck with injuries.
“Unfortunately, if you have an injury that forces you to miss races, they forget about you in a day, they practically don’t even talk about you, and that might be what’s happened to him.”
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How would you rate Maverick Vinales’ MotoGP career if he retires after 2026?
Pablo Nieto believes Maverick Vinales is ‘burned out’ after 2026 struggles
Further in the interview, Nieto suggested that his struggles and the lack of faith from KTM and Tech3 officials has caused Maverick Vinales to give up this season.
“If on top of that you’re not getting results, you’re not happy with the team, with the bike – this is a personal observation from my perspective, I haven’t really talked to him about it much.
“But I imagine that when you’re not getting those results, and you don’t have the support you’d like from the factory or elsewhere, well, as he says, he’s probably already a bit burned out.”
There is some truth to this statement, especially considering that Vinales is considering retiring from MotoGP after this woeful season.
Even though KTM axing Vinales might seem harsh, the team may have had no choice but to move on from him.
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