The director of Tech3, Guenther Steiner, has stated that he is staying out of the contractual controversy between Maverick Vinales and KTM. According to Steiner, this situation does not affect him or his team.
Vinales caused a stir last Thursday, before the German Grand Prix, when he announced that KTM had offered him a new contract until 2027. However, just a few weeks later, he was informed that this agreement was no longer valid.
The Catalan rider has expressed on several occasions his dissatisfaction with how KTM handled his contractual situation and the lack of trust shown in his recovery after some injuries.
Although Vinales competes with Tech3, both he and his teammate, Enea Bastianini, are directly contracted by the factory, with agreements dating back to before the team was acquired by Steiner.
Steiner, who previously managed the Haas team in Formula 1, has not shown satisfaction with Vinales’ statements, who publicly criticized KTM for being left without a seat for next year. ‘I am not involved in his contract. It is a KTM contract,’ he emphasized.
Furthermore, he stated that he prefers not to get involved in the situation, saying: ‘I have enough to do, so I let them resolve it, because honestly I know nothing about his contract. I haven’t seen it, and in fact, I don’t want to see it.’
Initially, Vinales received an offer to move up to the factory team for 2027. However, his inconsistent performance at the beginning of the season has led KTM to reconsider its decision.
KTM recently announced the additions of Alex Marquez and Fabio di Giannantonio, while Tech3 is looking to pair Luca Marini with a Moto2 rider for the start of the 850cc era in MotoGP.
Vinales has acknowledged that his chances of continuing in MotoGP next season are nearly non-existent, especially after KTM decided not to include him in the first official test of the 850cc in Brno last month.
Steiner expressed that the relationship between Vinales and KTM could be irreparably damaged. ‘The situation is complicated,’ he said. ‘It’s not a good situation if they criticize each other in the press.’
On the other hand, he commented that although Vinales and Bastianini are currently KTM riders, Tech3 will directly hire its riders for 2027, which will give more control over its lineup.
Steiner added that Marini would be a good fit for Tech3, highlighting his experience, but denied that they had already signed him for the next season. ‘We have talked to some riders because I want to get to know them if they join the team, as it’s not just about riding a bike but being part of the team.’
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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