Bold statement: even top athletes face battles that cameras rarely show, and Maverick Viñales’ winter routine in Valencia proves the grind never stops. And this is where the story gets interesting: a MotoGP star trading a factory bike for a Yamaha street bike to stay sharp might seem like a curveball, but it’s a strategic move that highlights the discipline behind elite racing.
Maverick Viñales, the KTM MotoGP rider, is continuing his off-season training in Valencia, taking to the track on a Yamaha street motorcycle. Although the 2025 MotoGP season wrapped up just two weeks earlier, Viñales has kept his riding legs active through on-bike practice across different circuits in the weeks since.
The Tech3 KTM rider is still rebuilding after a shoulder injury sustained during a July German Grand Prix qualifying crash. The doctors initially projected a 16-week recovery window, and Viñales has faced a long road back. He attempted several comebacks, the first at KTM’s home event in Austria, but ultimately withdrew from the races.
He did compete at the Catalan, San Marino, and Japanese Grands Prix, yet had to withdraw from the Indonesian Grand Prix due to lingering shoulder pain. He then sat out the next three rounds before making another return in Valencia.
Upon returning, Viñales explained that shoulder issues prevented normal training, leading to a loss of muscle mass during his absence. Since the Valencia season finale, he has increased on-bike practice, with footage from new rider coach Jorge Lorenzo showing Viñales pushing hard in the gym as well.
On Wednesday, the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia shared a short clip of Viñales riding a Yamaha street bike at the track’s riding school, signaling continued preparation ahead of the 2026 season. Viñales will stay with the Tech3 KTM squad for another year, partnering with Enea Bastianini.
During the first half of 2025, Viñales stood as KTM’s leading rider, with many of his tuning choices eventually adopted by the factory team. He did reach a podium at the Qatar Grand Prix, though a tire-pressure penalty later dropped him to 14th.
After 2025 concluded, Viñales revealed he has enlisted three-time MotoGP champion Jorge Lorenzo as his rider coach. Lorenzo recently discussed in a podcast that even riders with less natural talent have found title opportunities in the premier class, implying there’s no ceiling for Viñales with the right guidance. He also noted Viñales as one of the most formidable competitors he faced during his own racing career.
Note: The source also mentions Lewis joining Crash.net as a motorsport journalist in August 2024, bringing five years of MotoGP coverage to the outlet.
Would you like a deeper dive into Viñales’ technical adjustments, or a short explainer on how rider coaching can influence performance at the world championship level?
