Jorge Lorenzo Aims to Restore Vinales’ “Killer” Instinct

MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Jorge Lorenzo says he is working to help Maverick Vinales rediscover the “killer” mentality that defined him before his grand prix career, as the Spaniard enters his 12th season in MotoGP’s premier class in 2026.

Vinales made his MotoGP debut with Suzuki in 2015 and was quickly regarded as a future title contender. Despite flashes of speed, he has accumulated 10 wins but has yet to mount a sustained championship challenge. A move from Aprilia to KTM via Tech3 last season saw him emerge as the Austrian manufacturer’s leading performer in the first half of the year.

For 2026, Vinales enlisted three-time MotoGP world champion Lorenzo as a performance coach. The partnership carries added intrigue, as Vinales replaced Lorenzo at Yamaha in 2017, and the pair shared a tense dynamic before Lorenzo retired in 2019.

Speaking during the Sepang test — Lorenzo’s first official event as part of Vinales’ inner circle — he emphasized the need to reignite the competitive edge that once made Vinales formidable.

“Now his motivation is very high. I don’t know if it’s higher than ever, because I wasn’t with him all of those years,” Lorenzo told MotoGP.com.

“I heard about Maverick when he was eight years old, and he has always been an amazing rider with so much talent. Everyone says that when he was a kid, he was a killer and hated to lose.”

Lorenzo suggested that in recent seasons Vinales may have lost some of that hunger, but believes personal growth and family life have reshaped his perspective.

“Somehow, in the last five or six years, he lost that motivation or hunger to win. Now, after having daughters and spending time with his family, he understands that maybe the next two or three years will be his last chance. He wants to give more than 100 percent and be at peace with himself.”

Vinales is out of contract with KTM at the end of the 2026 season, though he has been strongly linked with a potential move to the factory squad, possibly replacing Pedro Acosta. Meanwhile, Alex Marquez has also been mentioned as a candidate for the seat.

With Lorenzo’s mentorship now in place, 2026 could represent a decisive chapter in Vinales’ career — a final opportunity to translate raw talent into a genuine championship campaign and revive the relentless competitive instinct that once defined him.