MotoGP News: Yamaha suspends Maverick Viñales from MotoGP Austrian GP | GRR
The Yamaha MotoGP team has suspended Maverick Viñales from this weekend’s Austrian GP due to “irregular operation of the motorcycle” in the recent Styrian GP.
The shock decision “follows an in-depth analysis of telemetry and data”, with Yamaha concluding “the rider’s actions could have potentially caused significant damage to the engine of his YZR-M1 bike which could have caused serious risks to the rider himself and possibly posed a danger to all other riders in the MotoGP race”.
Viñales will not be replaced for the weekend, and “decisions regarding the future races will be taken after a more detailed analysis of the situation and further discussions between Yamaha and the rider”. A cold statement, if ever there was one.
The news follows a difficult season for Viñales, who scored a win at the championship-opening round in Qatar but has since secured just one podium. Additionally, he recently terminated his contract with Yamaha for beyond the 2021 season.