Maverick Viñales retired at Phillip Island sprint with shoulder pain
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 24, 2026
Viñales retired
Viñales retired from the Phillip Island sprint because of pain and swelling in his left shoulder. He said he raced the Australian Grand Prix despite not being fully fit, and that the injury badly affected his pace. He said he could still ride, but direction changes were severely limiting his performance. He pulled out on lap seven. Viñales said the shoulder issue had been with him for more than a year. At Phillip Island, the pain and swelling stopped him from finishing.
Shoulder injury
The shoulder problem began after a qualifying crash at Sachsenring in 2025 that dislocated Viñales’ shoulder and fractured his greater tuberosity. He said the injury led to two operations and a long recovery, and seven months ago he decided to stop and have the plate removed during the United States Grand Prix weekend. Even with that step, the recovery has not been simple. Viñales said he missed seven rounds that season. He said the problem worsened after Mandalika, which made the pain and swelling at Phillip Island feel even more familiar. He said the condition is difficult to recover from and may require more medical attention. Viñales said MotoGP’s schedule makes healing harder because there is little time to rest between events.
Contract pressure
Viñales also used his situation to argue that MotoGP’s contract structure leaves injured riders with too few good options. He said his KTM deal means he would not be paid if he stayed home, and he said he could miss only three grands prix before salary deductions would begin. In his view, that kind of system leaves injured competitors with little choice but to line up anyway. That is why he called for riders’ contracts to change, and he urged riders to pressure MotoGP to alter the rules so injured competitors get better protection. Viñales said he does not want to disappear from MotoGP. He added, “I need to find a way to stay connected to MotoGP.”
