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MotoGP: Maverick Vinales withdraws from Grand Prix United States, to undergo operation on shoulder - 'I can't continue'
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Updated 27/03/2026 at 21:03 GMT
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Tech3 KTM rider Maverick Vinales suffered a serious injury to his left shoulder last season, and it appears the problem has resurfaced early in the 2026 campaign. He confirmed to TNT Sports that screws in the joint have come loose, and he will use an upcoming break to have an operation, as well as withdrawing from Grand Prix United States as he does not have sufficient "power."
'I have no power left' - Vinales withdraws from Grand Prix United States ahead of surgery
Video credit: TNT Sports
Tech3 KTM rider Maverick Vinales said he will have an operation on his left shoulder and withdrew from this weekend's Grand Prix United States - live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
The 31-year-old Spaniard is one of the more experienced riders on the circuit, but he has been hampered in the search for his best form for the best part of a year.
In qualifying last July at Sachsenring in Germany, Vinales was thrown from his bike and suffered a serious injury to his left shoulder as a result.
He was troubled by the problem for the rest of the season, missing eight Grands Prix before he made his return to action in November 2025 at Grand Prix Portugal.
Screws in his shoulder have now come loose, and he will use the three-week break before the Jerez Grand Prix to take action.
Speaking to TNT Sports, he confirmed his decision, saying: "I don't continue on the weekend because I have no power left. Especially on this track. It's very demanding, so I can't continue.
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"To remove the screws, I will make an operation on Tuesday and come back when I'm fully fit."
Vinales spent the winter close-season break focusing on his recovery, though he did suffer another crash in Sepang during testing in February earlier in the year.
At the time, he said: ”The shoulder is perfect. So, for me, it’s totally healed.”
In this campaign, Vinales is yet to score a point, and after top-10 finishes in the standings in 2023 and 2024, he was 18th at the end of last season. A poor run of form is continuing.
Recent reports suggested that Vinales may not be able to compete throughout the whole of the action in the United States, and speaking to the media on Thursday, Vinales explained his condition.
He said: ”Something doesn’t work, because I can’t change direction quickly. I have a hard time changing direction, especially on the left. I have no strength; it hurts a lot.
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”I thought I was fine, but with the street bikes with which I trained in the winter, I didn’t force [the shoulder] so much. If I don’t fix my shoulder, I can’t run at my level.”
The Qatar race weekend has been postponed until November, due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East, which means the next Grand Prix on the slate is in Jerez, Spain, at the end of next month.
Stream every race of the 2026 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
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