Guenther Steiner Questions Maverick Vinales KTM Criticism

Guenther Steiner believes Maverick Vinales' public criticism of KTM was not the right move amid uncertainty over his MotoGP future.

The Red Bull KTM Tech3 owner was responding to Vinales' claim that KTM would be responsible if he is no longer on the MotoGP grid next season. Vinales viewed the decision not to include him in the Brno 850cc test as a clear signal that he is not part of the manufacturer's long-term plans.

Steiner said such comments are unlikely to strengthen Vinales' negotiating position, especially with both Tech3 seats for 2027 still unconfirmed. In his view, publicly blaming KTM could make the Spaniard's chances of staying even more difficult.

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"I don't think it's the smartest thing to do. If you haven't got the choice, if you're a beggar, you cannot be a chooser. Maybe he wasn't thinking when he said that," said Steiner.

Steiner also argued that blaming KTM was too harsh because the RC16 has still shown competitive potential. He pointed to Pedro Acosta and Enea Bastianini as examples that the bike can perform strongly in certain conditions, meaning Vinales' situation cannot be placed entirely on the manufacturer.

Tech3 is targeting a combination of one experienced rider and one rookie for MotoGP 2027. With KTM's option on Vinales understood to expire in July, his public comments have made the situation more sensitive before a final decision is made on next season's line-up.