Maverick Viñales will make his big return this weekend in Valencia, even though he is not yet fully recovered physically.
After three and a half Grand Prix absences, Maverick Vinales He finally makes his grand return this weekend in Valencia. The Spanish rider has had a rollercoaster year, with a period of adaptation to the KTM followed by solid performances and then a heavy crash just as he was starting to get close to the podium. This crash, which occurred in Germany in mid-July, completely shaped the rest of his season.
Having injured his left shoulder, he attempted a comeback in Austria a month later but had to withdraw during the weekend. He then returned a second time in Catalonia in early September and also competed in the San Marino and Japanese Grands Prix before withdrawing again from the Indonesian Grand Prix due to pain, physical weakness, and poor performance. The Spanish rider was indeed languishing at the back of the standings.
This time, after missing three other Grands Prix, he is definitely ready to return to the track, even if he is not yet at 100% fitness. This return is crucial for him in order to regain momentum with the Tech3 team and participate in the first winter test, which will take place next Tuesday, also at the Valencia circuit. He has been replaced all this time by Pol Espargaró, who shone on the KTMHe will be able to return to a machine that is theoretically more efficient than when he left it.
“We took the necessary time for me to fully concentrate on my shoulder recovery, and I’m happy to see that my physical condition has improved considerably since the Indonesian Grand Prix. The goal was to regain strength, and I dedicated myself to that throughout the last month. I spent a lot of time at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre in Austria, which was very beneficial.”, did he declare.
“Obviously, I’m not yet at 100%, but it’s really important to be back with the team in Valencia for the final Grand Prix. This will allow us to assess my progress and define a precise plan of action to take this winter so that I’m at 100% for pre-season testing. In any case, I’m really happy to be back with the team and I can’t wait to get on track.”
