Viñales out, Espargaro in for KTM’s upcoming MotoGP race in Brno
Red Bull KTM Tech3 will see a lineup change at Brno this weekend, with test rider Pol Espargaro stepping in for the injured Maverick Viñales, who recently underwent successful left shoulder surgery. This marks Espargaro’s first race appearance of the 2025 season.
Espargaro expressed well wishes for Viñales’ swift recovery and his own readiness: “Obviously, it’s never a good thing to take part in a GP because you have to replace an injured rider. So, first of all, I want to wish a speedy recovery to Maverick. I will try to do my best this weekend, also trying to help as much as possible my teammates and the technicians.”
He recalled positive past experiences at the “fantastic track” of Brno, where he last competed in MotoGP in 2020, vying for victory after qualifying sixth.
Viñales sustained his shoulder injury during a Q2 crash at Sachsenring last Saturday. As he recovers, Espargaro, 34, joins Enea Bastianini—who has recovered from appendicitis—in the pitbox for Round 12, the final Grand Prix before the summer break.
