Here's the thing about coming back from a long layoff in MotoGP: the machines do not care about your rehabilitation schedule. But as Motorsport.com reports, Maverick Vinales has officially cleared a massive hurdle after declaring his shoulder healed following his return to action at the Japanese Grand Prix last Sunday.
The veteran Spaniard battled his way to 14th place in the main race at Motegi, walking away with two points and successfully completing his first full weekend of competition since the German Grand Prix in July. The Tech 3 KTM rider had been sidelined by a shoulder injury stemming from an accident at the 2025 German round, yet he now feels confident in his ability to see out the 2026 season.
Mandalika should be a bit easier, because you don't have heavy braking. It's true that you have changes of direction, but [with] changes of direction I have no problems now, like in the past.
While the injury itself is no longer an issue, Vinales admitted that raw physical strength is still lacking — a deficit that gym work alone cannot fix. "It just needs more load every time, and to keep building up the strength. In many areas I have strength, but in some others I need to go on the bike, because this I cannot really do in the gym, it's so hard," he said.
Scoring points on his comeback came as a pleasant surprise, particularly given his absence from the RC16 and a general shortage of physical fitness and machine feel. "Not really, I expected to struggle much more," Vinales admitted when asked if he anticipated finishing in the points. His primary anxiety wasn't the shoulder he knew he could manage, but rather his arms. The heavy braking at Motegi took a severe toll on his forearms during the race.
Even so, the weekend served as valuable mileage. "So yeah, it was a good training, I think. Also I found some good speed in the middle of the race and at the end, even though I could not push at the maximum," he noted, adding that he still needs to understand the bike better and refine his riding.
Looking ahead, the 31-year-old expects the upcoming Indonesian Grand Prix to be kinder to his body, despite the brutal heat on the island of Lombok. "Mandalika should be a bit easier, because you don't have heavy braking. It's true that you have changes of direction, but [with] changes of direction I have no problems now, like in the past."
Unfortunately, amidst the positive physical recovery and a fighting points finish, dark clouds remain regarding the future. Vinales used the weekend to take further shots at KTM, blaming the Austrian factory for leaving him without a seat on the premier class grid for next season.
