Guenther Steiner hits back at Maverick Viñales over KTM criticism in Assen

On Thursday in Assen, Viñales launched a fierce attack on KTM. Speaking to, among others, GPblog, the Tech3 rider said the Austrian manufacturer had left him in uncertainty about his future for a long time, thereby also denying him the chance to negotiate with other teams in time. According to the Spaniard, KTM should have released him immediately once it was clear he was no longer in the frame for a spot in the factory team.

"If I’m not racing in the world championship next year, there’s only one party responsible and that’s KTM," said Viñales, pointing out that KTM holds an option on him until July. "They should have just released me. Then I would have figured out my options myself."

Viñales also said he found out through the media that Pedro Acosta — who is moving to Ducati next year to ride alongside Marc Marquez — would be carrying out the Pirelli test in Brno, whereas he claims he had previously been told he was in line for it. He also saw that as a clear sign that KTM does not want to continue with him.

The mercury has already risen to 36 degrees Celsius when Steiner steps out of his office and stretches before taking a seat in the KTM Tech3 hospitality. On the hottest day of the race weekend in Assen, air conditioning in the MotoGP teams’ ‘living rooms’ is anything but a luxury.

Viñales’ critical remarks cannot go unaddressed, but Steiner does not agree with his rider’s comments. "I don't know the exact details of what happened there. These were all things that were done before I came. But I think the comments are a little bit strong from Maverick's side because, obviously, as a team, you always look for performance. And at the moment, Maverick is not giving the performance he was giving a few years ago when he joined KTM."

The former team principal of the Haas F1 team emphasizes that everything in MotoGP revolves around performance, and it is precisely in that area that he currently sees the Spaniard falling short. "This is a performance-based business and the only thing you're judged on is your performance. You know that. So I think to blame KTM for anything is a little bit far-fetched, to say the least. I wouldn't go with that one." Steiner continues.

The Italian points out that, in his view, KTM has actually shown a lot of patience with Viñales. "I think KTM has been very patient with him and waited a long time, because those poorer performances didn’t last just one or two races,” he says. “ I think KTM was very patient with him and waited a long time, because the performance didn't just go away for one or two races. It's one of these things. I think if he had performed like he did at the beginning of last year, there wouldn't have been a problem re-signing him. But we all need to perform in our jobs. So does he."

Steiner stresses that he has nothing against the Spaniard personally, but he finds the remarks he made unfair. "But again, I think he's a good person. I just felt the comment was a little bit strong. To blame somebody and say, 'Oh, it's your fault if I'm not in MotoGP'... I mean, they were strong comments. They also gave him the opportunity to be here in the first place. So I would never forget that"

When Steiner is presented with the suggestion that Viñales may also have been referring to the contract option that prevents him from speaking to other teams until later, he does not want to go into the substance of it. "I don't know those details, so I can't comment on them. And again, I think these things are always better sorted out privately, not in public, because it doesn't do anybody any good to sort these things out in public. He makes a comment, so you can understand that he's disappointed. I fully understand that. But to blame somebody for it? That I don't understand." says Steiner.