Maverick Vinales is set to leave Aprilia after three years, during which he won one race in Austin this year and achieved seven podium finishes. He will now join the Tech3 team managed by KTM’s parent company, Pierer Mobility Group. The team currently competes as GasGas but will switch to the KTM brand.
At Tech3, Vinales will team up with Enea Bastianini, a five-time winner in MotoGP, who will move from Ducati’s factory team to make way for Marc Marquez next season. KTM plans to provide four factory bikes across its two teams, with Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta racing in the factory team alongside Vinales and Bastianini.
Pit Beirer, KTM’s motorsports director, expressed excitement about the signings, highlighting Vinales and Bastianini as two of the fastest riders globally. He emphasized KTM’s commitment to supporting their ambitions fully and strengthening the KTM brand with their presence in the MotoGP circuit.
With Vinales leaving, Aprilia will lose both of its current factory riders, as Aleix Espargaro has already announced his retirement from MotoGP after this season. It’s understood that Espargaro will transition to a test rider role with Honda in the coming year.
Initially, Vinales had considered staying with Aprilia and had discussions about extending his contract. However, Aprilia decided to wait for Espargaro’s decision before finalizing any deals with Vinales. The MotoGP rider market shifted after the Italian Grand Prix when Aprilia signed Jorge Martin from Pramac, and Ducati announced Marquez as Francesco Bagnaia’s teammate for the 2025-26 seasons.
The focus now shifts to who will occupy the second factory Aprilia seat alongside Martin next year. Marco Bezzecchi and Fabio Di Giannantonio, currently with VR46, are considered strong contenders for the position.
Vinales’ move to KTM marks a significant change for both him and Aprilia, shaping the lineup for the upcoming MotoGP seasons and setting the stage for new developments in the competitive scenario of the sport.
