Vinales' comeback in Salzburg: therapy for the return to MotoGP!

Vinales' comeback in Salzburg: therapy for the return to MotoGP!

Maverick Vinales, the rider of the KTM Tech3 team, is currently in a crucial stage of his rehabilitation in Salzburg. After his shoulder dislocation, which he suffered during qualifying at the Sachsenring in the summer, his return to MotoGP is eagerly awaited. While in Salzburg, he also attended a FC Red Bull Salzburg football match against Ferencvaros Budapest in the Europa League, which provided him with a welcome distraction from the intensive therapy program. Vinales, who has recently completed a series of tests and special training sessions at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center (APC) in Thalgau, hopes to return to the motorcycle as soon as possible.

The last few months have been anything but easy for the 30-year-old Spaniard. After the accident in Germany, he had to watch both the Austrian GP and the Hungarian GP while Pol Espargaro represented him. Despite an initial prognosis of 16 weeks for full recovery, progress shows Vinales is planning a trial run in Spain on the 600cc bike after just two weeks of rehabilitation. KTM race director Pit Beirer emphasizes that Vinales finds the best conditions in the APC and is taking some important measurements to optimize his return. “We want him back fully fit to fulfill his potential,” says Beirer.

Psychological aspects of rehabilitation

In addition to physical recovery, psychological support also plays a major role in the rehabilitation process. Injuries can have serious emotional consequences for athletes. Andreas Meyer, sports psychologist, emphasizes the importance of incorporating psychological strategies into different phases of rehabilitation. These phases include the preventive phase, the acute phase and the rehabilitation phase. It is crucial to restore confidence in your own performance and overcome setbacks along the way. Because after an injury as serious as Vinales', he has to return to competition not only physically but also mentally.

Vinales himself emphasized during his time in Salzburg that he does not yet have the strength that he had before his injury. The training will be more intensive and he plans to structure the return process in small steps - “Wherever possible, one step at a time,” he says optimistically about the challenges ahead.

The return to racing

The motorsport world is looking forward to his possible return at the upcoming Grand Prix in Catalunya, which will take place on home soil. Vinales is aware that he is not at 100%, but the anticipation of being with his team and driving on his home track motivates him immensely. His return could be important not only for him personally, but also for KTM, which achieved solid results with Pol Espargaro in his absence, most recently with a top ten place at the Hungarian GP.

Whether and how Vinales can ultimately compete remains to be seen. But he is determined to give it his all and fight back with every training session. The challenges are great, but Vinales is ready to tackle them.