MotoGP: Viñales to be replaced by Pol Espargaró for Australian and Malaysian GPs

Pol Espargaró will replace Maverick Viñales at the Australian and Malaysian Grands Prix in the coming weeks. The Spanish rider retired at the end of the 2023 season and is currently working as a test rider for KTM.

The replacement will take place because Viñales has not yet fully recovered from a left shoulder injury suffered during qualifying for the German GP. After the final round, the Indonesian GP, ​​Maverick realized he needed another break. He had already missed the German, Czech, and Hungarian GPs.

Pol replaced his compatriot in the Czech Republic and Hungary, finishing ninth in Brno and eighth at Balaton Park. This will be his third race of the season. "Having to do this because a teammate is injured isn't something I'm particularly happy about. I know Maverick has worked hard to keep racing, so the first thing I want to say is that I hope this absence will help speed up his recovery and that he can return as soon as possible," Pol said in a KTM statement.

Given the current situation, Viñales' goal is to return in one of the last GPs (Portimão or Valencia) and be in shape for the 2026 pre-season test, which will take place on November 18, in Valencia.