Maverick Viñales said, “It’s obviously a disappointment not to be able to race in Jerez this weekend. It’s a very important event for me and the first of my home races this season. I know my body well, though, and the priority right now is to recover properly and make sure I can return in the best possible condition for the rest of the season. Everything is moving in the right direction, and the goal is to be ready for Le Mans.”
Red Bull KTM Tech3 Team Manager Nicolas Goyon added, “The most important thing for us is Maverick’s recovery. The break in the calendar has given him valuable time to focus on rehabilitation, and, hopefully, he’ll only have to miss this race. He seems to be on track to return for Le Mans, which is very positive. It’s also a shame that Pol, our reserve rider, got injured during this time, because we know him well and he would’ve been a valuable addition to the team for the Jerez weekend. With so little time available before the event, we considered all the options. However, in the end, the decision was to focus on getting just one bike running well for this round.”
Guenther Steiner, the team’s managing director, commented, “I don’t go looking for these situations, but they keep cropping up somehow. Sure, there’s a bit of irony in all this, but the reality is that this isn’t how we wanted to arrive in Jerez. First, Maverick is recovering, then Pol injures his hand, and, suddenly, plans change very quickly. We’ve assessed the alternatives, but we also have to make sensible decisions that are right for the team and for the project as a whole. The positive aspect is that Enea is coming into this weekend with good momentum after Austin, and this gives us a solid foundation to build on as we approach the European leg of the season.”
