“Biggest surprise” of MotoGP silly season is pin-pointed
"He jumped before he was pushed.”
Maverick Vinales’ exit from Aprilia has been labelled the “strangest 🀅move” of this suꦍmmer’s MotoGP rider market.
Vina🔯les will leave Aprilia for Tech3 KTM next season to form a new-look partnership with Enea Bastianini, in a team with fu🦩ll factory support.
His stock was high after 🐎winning the Grand Prix of the Americas and the sprint race in Texas, and becoming the first MotoGP rider to win o🍒n a Sunday with four different manufacturers.
Confirmation that Vinales will ride a KTM in 2025 has❀ shocked experts within the paddock.
“Probably the biggest surprise, to be honest, to jump out of 🔯the factory Aprilia seat,” TNT Sports’ Neil Hodgson said.
“To move to Tech3 KTM w𓃲hich is not the main factory team. I’d say it’s the strangest move.
“But he’s not shy about making strange moves.
“My take on that? He’s probably had a hint, a suggestion,🥂 that they wouldn’t continue with him ꦓat Aprilia.
“So he jumped before he was pushed.”
Sylvain Guintoli responded: “It looked like Vinales wouldn’t have been renewed at A꧂prilia.
“If Maverick could have stayed🔯 at Aprilia, he🧔 would have done.
“The dynamics within the factory Aprilia team - Mart🤡in, and wanting an Ital𓃲ian rider - it looks like Maverick did not have a spot.
“Maybe they offered him Trackhouse? He pr🐽eferred to go onto the KTM.”
Aleix Espargaro has conf♏irmed his retirement and his Aprilia spot wilꦫl go to Jorge Martin next year.
The manufacture🥂r, who never hid their dream of recruiting an Italian rider, will field Marco Bezzecchi in Vinales’ place in 2025.
Vinales will have the unique opportunit🍨y to win a MotoGP race with a fifth manufacturer when he heads to KTM’s second team next♒ year.
He will be joined by Bastianini, who lost his fa♉ctory Ducati seat to Marc Marquez in the biggest storyline of silly season.
B﷽astianini chose to depart Ducati rather than be downgraded to a satellite tꩲeam.
Guin🐈toli reacted: “With⛦ riders, it’s a respect thing. Once you’ve been in a factory team…
“It w𓂃asn’t his fault that he got injured. For him, it’s a great opportunity. That bike is fast.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from�🌳� American sports, to football, to F1.
