Storm in the KTM garage: war of words between Vinales and Steiner

The atmosphere inside the KTM garage is very tense. Maverick Vinales and the top brass of the Austrian manufacturer have entered a war of words that smacks of a total breakdown. All of this is happening just as the Roses rider finds himself at a crucial point in his career, risking a definitive goodbye to MotoGP. Will the doors of Superbike open for him…?

In recent weeks Vinales has directed harsh words at the Austrian brand, which he says failed to keep its promises regarding his contractual future. At the start of the season he was reportedly promised a seat with the factory team for the next two years, then the signings of Alex Marquez and Fabio Di Giannantonio seemed to have shifted Maverick to the satellite team Tech3.

Finally, for days it has seemed clear that he is not even part of the plans of Guenther Steiner’s squad. The Italian-American manager told reporters that the attitude the rider has shown lately “is not the smartest” if what he’s looking for is a good bike to race. And he reminded him that “those who are in trouble don’t get to choose.” In other words, Vinales is not in a position to demand anything.

These words quickly reached the KTM garage, with Maverick responding sharply. After all, he’s known for not mincing words and stressed that the tone used by the executive was completely out of place. As expected, the MotoGP rider market is sparking fireworks, and soon we’ll have a list of “big names” left without a seat for the next MotoGP World Championship.

At the end of the Dutch GP at Assen, Maverick Vinales replied to Steiner in an interview with the English-language site Crash.net. “I think his words were misunderstood, but in some of his comments he did in fact call me a ‘beggar’,” the Spaniard said. “I have nothing more to add; the truth is that my goal is to try to stay fast, recover as soon as possible and, the higher I am in the standings, the better. That way I’ll be happier and feel better.”

The roots of this rift between the rider and the manufacturer go back a long time, mainly due to decisions KTM made in anticipation of MotoGP’s regulatory changes. Maverick was furious because the company did not allow him to test the new 850cc prototype during the Brno tests. That exclusion was, in his view, the definitive sign that the bosses in Mattighofen had cut him out of future plans.

Unfortunately, Vinales’ performances aren’t helping. After some good results at the start of 2025, there has been a sharp drop-off. Moreover, the injury sustained in Germany has further complicated matters. And MotoGP is a ruthless world, where numbers, lap times, and results are what count.

There’s still one seat open at Tech3, but paddock whispers suggest they want to sign Luca Marini and give a chance to Moto2’s young talent, Senna Angius. “Right now I have nothing,” Maverick admitted. “But in the end, what I want is to enjoy these races, and the way to do that is to get stronger, because right now I’m not enjoying myself. They’re beating me by half a second in just four corners, and that’s not how I have fun.”

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