Guenther Steiner has criticized the recent declarations by Maverick Viñales’ who, at Assen, had accused KTM of being solely responsible for the risk of him being left out of MotoGP in 2027.
The Tech3 owner did not agree with the Spaniard’s outburst, believing that taking a public stance against the Austrian manufacturer would not help him in negotiations.
“I don’t think it's the smartest thing to do. If you haven't got the choice, if you’re a beggar, you can't be a chooser. Maybe he wasn’t thinking when he said that,” Steiner said.
The South Tyrolean manager then added that placing all the blame on KTM is unfair, noting that the RC16 has nonetheless proven to be competitive with Pedro Acosta and, to some extent, with Enea Bastianini as well. According to Steiner, Viñales’ comments are likely the result of tension over an uncertain future, as the Spanish rider faces a real risk of not securing a MotoGP ride for 2027.