Overview
- Tech3 and Red Bull KTM confirmed Friday that Maverick Viñales will miss the San Marino Grand Prix and that KTM test rider Pol Espargaró will race the Tech3 KTM at Misano.
- Viñales has a long‑running left shoulder problem that followed a Sachsenring qualifying crash, included surgery on 1 April to remove a screw, and prompted further checks this summer that found a small tear in the infraspinatus.
- Espargaró has already filled in at Silverstone and Aragón, scoring points in Britain and finishing 16th in Aragón, and the team says his experience makes him the short‑term choice while Viñales recovers.
- Espargaró faces a demanding schedule that could see him switch between KTM’s current 1000cc RC16 on Michelin tyres and the 850cc Pirelli‑shod prototype for tests at Mugello and the Red Bull Ring, a pattern riders say complicates setup and tyre adaptation.
- Vinales’ prolonged absence and mixed on‑track form have intensified contract tensions at KTM/Tech3 and left his 2027 seat uncertain, a situation that could change team lineups and the factory’s development plans if the recovery does not progress quickly.