Pol Espargaro to replace Maverick Vinales again at Tech3 KTM
Pol Espargaro will replace the injured Maverick Vinales at the San Marino Grand Prix for the Tech3 KTM MotoGP team. Vinales has struggled with recovery from a shoulder injury and ongoing contract disputes with KTM.
Why it matters
This highlights the volatility of professional motorcycle racing rosters and the impact of physical injury and contract management on team performance.
After competing in the British and Aragon grands prix, Pol Espargaro will contest next week's San Marino Grand Prix with Tech3 KTM, replacing Maverick Vinales.
Vinales continues to recover from the injury he suffered last year to his left shoulder, in a qualifying crash at the Sachsenring. Since then, he's had ups and downs in his recovery.
Vinales had to miss several races early in 2026 and eventually underwent surgery on 1 April to have a screw removed from the affected area which supposedly was the cause of his problems.
Despite the operation, the Spaniard has failed to and, since returning at Barcelona in mid-May, his performances and results have never been close to expectations.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in