Maverick Vinales will be absent from MotoGP racing for at least the next two rounds of the calendar as he continues to recover from his shoulder injury. Vinales crashed at last month’s German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, dislocating his left shoulder. Medical checks later revealed that he also suffered a fracture, making recovery more difficult.

Vinales had already missed the Czech Grand Prix following the accident, but he made a cautious return at the Austrian Grand Prix. He took part in Friday practice sessions and even completed qualifying on Saturday. Despite his effort, he felt that his shoulder was not ready for the full demands of a race. He therefore withdrew from both the sprint race and the main grand prix.

After the sprint, Vinales spoke to the media about his decision. He explained that safety is his top priority and that competing too soon could risk making the injury much worse.

“Maybe I could ride – it’s not impossible – but the main concern from the doctor is that if I have a crash, everything is going to be much worse,” he said.

Vinales also confirmed that he will miss next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Returning for the Barcelona race later in the season is still uncertain.

“I pushed hard to try to get to Austria and get back on the bike, but now I’m going to take it a little more calmly and let my shoulder really recover,” Vinales said to MotoGP.com.

Although he could not compete properly in Austria, Vinales said that riding at the Red Bull Ring was useful for understanding what he needs to focus on in the upcoming weeks.

“Getting back on the bike hasn’t affected me beyond learning what I need to improve to be able to ride again: mobility and strength. Without a doubt, it has been worth it, especially to understand where I am. Thirty days after the operation, it’s almost a miracle to ride a MotoGP bike, given the type of injury I have. Doctors usually say you need two to three months before you can start doing anything.” He said to MotoGP.com.

Vinales emphasised that patience will be essential in his recovery. He noted that riding in Austria helped him see exactly how much work is still needed to regain full fitness.

“It has helped me realise that I have to give myself time, because it’s not going to be easy. Both yesterday and today I saw where I am with the injury,” he said.

The Austrian Grand Prix marks another chapter in Vinales’ ongoing recovery from what has become one of the most challenging periods of his career. Fans will be watching closely to see when the experienced rider can finally return to racing at full strength.