Maverick Viñales is determined to reclaim his peak performance at the Malaysian Grand Prix despite ongoing shoulder issues that have hampered his MotoGP campaign. The KTM rider arrives at Sepang hopeful that he can push past his physical limitations after a tough outing in Australia, where shoulder pain restricted his riding capacity.

Pain reduced after injections

Viñales revealed that although discomfort remains, his shoulder pain has reduced by approximately 80 percent following post-race injections.

“It’s not so bad now. After the race, they gave me injections to try to reduce the pain,” Viñales explained. “I still have some discomfort, obviously, but it has decreased a lot. I need to see how it evolves. If it starts hurting again, I’ll talk to the doctors to see what I can do. I’d like to know if I can take something else to ease the pain and ride normally. Honestly, that’s what I want. Even if there’s a risk of more inflammation, I would have some days to recover afterwards.”

Reflecting on the cancelled race at Phillip Island, Viñales confirmed he was physically capable of competing in wet conditions despite the pain.

“Of course, I could have raced. In rainy conditions, I wouldn’t have had a problem. Riding in the wet was a bit uncomfortable because I couldn’t do it properly, but physically, yes, I could have raced. Regarding the conditions, I don’t know. Ultimately, MotoGP decided to cancel the race.” The shortened running time proved beneficial for his recovery, as he noted: “Luckily, we rode less, which was a shame for the fans and the race, but it gave me more chances to recover.”

Sepang seen as less demanding

When discussing the Sepang circuit, Viñales expressed confidence that this track demands less physically than others on the calendar. “I don’t think it’s too demanding. Of the circuits we’ve been to, I think this one demands the least from me. Japan was much tougher. Plus, there are many changes of direction. Mandalika was very demanding and Phillip Island even more so. That’s why I believe I can feel better physically here.”

On his plans for the Malaysian weekend, the Spaniard stated he intends to test his limits in Friday sessions while closely monitoring his shoulder. “I will try to ride on Friday. If the pain increases, I’ll talk with the doctors and the staff to understand what can be done to reduce it, because it’s clear I can’t ride at 100%. The supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons that were injured are fine. So, I want to try taking a small risk to not feel so much pain and push the shoulder a bit more.”

Frustration over slow recovery

Viñales also voiced frustration over the slow recovery process. “The important thing is to feel better on the bike, but with this limitation, it’s very difficult. If I split the circuit into right and left corners, the difference is huge. I don’t understand why it’s been so complicated to recover. When I’m at home resting, the biceps pain completely disappears. However, when I arrive here and push a bit, the pain comes back very quickly, even after a single practice session.”

Despite these setbacks, Viñales remains optimistic about regaining his top form. “For me, it would be fantastic to at least race a weekend at 100%. I believe that when I don’t have this physical limitation, I’m quite fast. That’s why I need to understand what’s happening. I think this weekend will be a test: if I have a lot of pain, I’ll try to do something different. I’ll talk to the doctors to see if I can handle two or three consecutive races pushing to the max. That would be fantastic,” he concluded.

Viñales’ determination to overcome injury and return to his best highlights the resilience required in MotoGP’s relentless environment, with Sepang representing a critical juncture in his comeback journey.