Maverick Viñales, rider of Tech3 KTM, has experienced a significant change in his season after a successful surgery to remove a screw that was displaced in his shoulder. The intervention, performed on Tuesday at the Hospital de Sassuolo, comes after a complicated competition and the forced withdrawal from the United States Grand Prix last week.
During the practice session on Friday, Viñales suffered intense pain that forced him to abandon the competition. This discomfort was the result of a screw that had been placed in his left shoulder due to an accident at the Sachsenring circuit in 2025.
After the surgery, the 31-year-old rider shared an image of the removed screw on social media, expressing his gratitude to the doctors who performed the operation. In his message, he noted that he was feeling better and that he would now focus on recovery to return stronger to the track.
Despite the expectations for his second season with the KTM RC16, Viñales has not managed to score points in the first races of 2026. In contrast, his teammate, Enea Bastianini, has achieved a podium finish, while Pedro Acosta has proven to be consistent with outstanding performance in the official team.
Viñales has explored a new development path with a different chassis in the initial races, but he will now need to reconsider his strategies after the latest setback. His return to competition is expected to take place during the Spanish Grand Prix, which will be held on April 25 and 26, taking advantage of the gap in the MotoGP calendar.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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