Spanish MotoGP rider Maverick Viñales is still having problems with his left shoulder as he prepares for the race weekend in Austin. The injury is not new, and it continues to affect both his performance and his confidence on the bike.

The problem started in July 2025, when he crashed during qualifying at the German Grand Prix. In that accident, he suffered a serious shoulder injury, including a fracture and damage to the ligaments. He later had surgery in Italy and tried to return to racing, but his season became very difficult. He was only able to finish a small number of races after the crash, as the pain and weakness in his shoulder kept coming back.

Even now, the injury has not fully healed. Viñales has said that he still feels pain, especially when turning left, and that he does not have enough strength in his arm. At times, he has had to rely more on his right arm, which makes riding a MotoGP bike even harder. He also explained that he can only ride at full speed for a few laps before the pain becomes too strong.

Because of this, the upcoming race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin is very important for him. On Friday, he plans to go out on track and test how his shoulder feels during practice sessions. After that, he and his team will decide what to do next. If the pain is too much, he may choose to stop racing for a short time and focus on recovery instead.

This situation also affects his start to the 2026 season. So far, he has struggled to get good results, and the injury is one of the main reasons. Although he trained hard during the winter, riding normal bikes did not fully prepare him for the physical demands of MotoGP racing.

Despite these difficulties, Viñales is trying to stay calm and positive. He knows that both his body and his performance need to improve step by step. The test in Austin will help him understand his condition better and decide the best way forward.