Maverick Vinales withdraws from the United States GP: another injury for him
The United States Grand Prix in Austin loses one of its key riders: Maverick Vinales will not take part in the third round of the 2026 MotoGP World Championship. The Spanish KTM Tech3 rider had to withdraw after today’s free practice sessions, which he finished with a decent 13th place, due to persistent problems with his left shoulder, which was already operated on in 2025.
The decision not to race was made in agreement with the team and doctors, who assessed the risk of worsening the injury. Vinales will return immediately to Italy, specifically to Sassuolo, to undergo further checks at Professor Porcellini’s clinic, the same facility where he was operated on last year. The goal now is to evaluate the actual condition of his shoulder and determine recovery timing and methods ahead of the next championship rounds.
Vinales is not the only Spanish rider in pain: as previously reported, Marc Marquez also suffered a heavy crash during FP1 (here are the conditions of the Ducati world champion).
For the other 21 riders, the weekend continues with the Pre-Qualifying sessions, which will start at 21:00 Italian time.
Photo: Tech3 Racing
