Here is the news we have all been waiting for: Maverick Viñales is finally returning to the MotoGP grid this weekend at the Japanese GP. Red Bull KTM Tech3 confirmed the Spaniard is back in action for Round 16 after an extended period on the sidelines recovering from corrective shoulder surgery.
It has been a long road for the rider. Viñales has been absent since the German GP in July after dealing with complications from a previously sustained shoulder injury. He underwent corrective surgery earlier this year and dedicated himself entirely to a rehabilitation programme alongside his medical team, KTM, and Tech3.
I want to especially thank everyone at the Red Bull APC and my doctors for all their work and support throughout my recovery. I can’t wait to be back on the bike and racing again.
After passing further medical and fitness evaluations, the clearance finally arrived. Viñales will slot straight back in alongside Enea Bastianini at Tech3 as the championship kicks off its demanding overseas stretch.
During his absence, Red Bull KTM Tech3 relied on KTM test and reserve rider Pol Espargaro, who stepped in to fill the seat at Silverstone, Aragon, Misano, and Austria while Viñales quietly put in the graft to orchestrate his comeback.
"I’m really happy to finally say that I’m coming back to racing," Maverick Viñales said. "The last few months have been a long process, and I’ve worked hard every day to get to this point.
"I’m not at 100% yet, but I’m on the right path, and I feel ready to take this next step. Motegi will be about building things up step by step, understanding where I am physically and getting my feeling back on the bike.
"I want to especially thank everyone at the Red Bull APC and my doctors for all their work and support throughout my recovery. I can’t wait to be back on the bike and racing again."
Team Manager Nicolas Goyon echoed that sentiment about the lengthy recovery process. "We are very happy to confirm that Maverick will be back with us in Japan," Goyon said. "Since the beginning of this process, our priority has been to support his recovery and make sure that he returned when he was ready, rather than rushing the process.
"It has been a longer road than we initially expected, but Maverick has worked extremely hard throughout his rehabilitation, and it is great to now see him ready to return to the grid. We know that coming back after such a long period away will take some time, so we will support Maverick throughout the weekend and allow him to rebuild his rhythm step by step. At the same time, it is fantastic for the whole team to have our full rider line-up back together, and we are looking forward to getting back to work with Maverick in Motegi."
Now, the beast is uncaged and the full line-up is finally restored. Let us see what the machine can do on track.
