Overview
- Viñales was declared unfit after an evaluation at Red Bull’s Athletic Performance Centre found he is not strong enough to return following shoulder surgery.
- The operation removed a displaced screw from his left shoulder inserted after a 2025 Sachsenring crash, which led him to withdraw from Austin and miss Jerez.
- Tech3, which announced the move Monday, will field two bikes at its home race with Enea Bastianini joined by replacement Jonas Folger.
- Folger is a former Tech3 rider and KTM tester who made 19 MotoGP starts with the team and earned a 2017 podium at the Sachsenring.
- First-choice stand‑in Pol Espargaro remains injured, and reporting suggests Viñales’ extended absence could hurt his near‑term prospects within KTM.