Guenther Steiner criticized Maverick Viñales’ recent statements, At Assen, he had accused KTM of being solely responsible for the risk of being left out of the MotoGP in 2027.
However, the Tech3 owner didn't agree with the Spanish rider’s outburst, believing that taking a public stance against the Austrian manufacturer wouldn't help him in negotiations.
“I don’t think it was the smartest thing to do. If you have no choice, if you’re in the position of the one asking, you can’t be fussy.. Maybe he wasn’t thinking when he said it,” 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 bike for 2027.