Ducati denies Maverick Vinales MotoGP test role reports

Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi says the rumours linking Maverick Vinales to a MotoGP test rider role with the brand in 2027 are incorrect.

Ten-time MotoGP race winner Maverick Vinales will not be on the grid in 2027, after losing his place with Tech3 and KTM following a breakdown in their relationship over the summer.

Vinales feels the drawn-out contract process with KTM ultimately stopped him from negotiating with other teams in a busy market.

His future remains unclear with five rounds to go in 2026, though there were rumours in recent weeks that he could join Ducati as a test rider.

“A journalist came up with the story”

But Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi has denied these links, claiming they have been fabricated after a journalist saw the pair walking together in the paddock.

Tardozzi noted that Ducati will have to evaluate test rider options at some point, due to Michele Pirro’s age, but says his relationship with Vinales has always been close.

“I have had a close relationship with Vinales for a long time, and his masseur is a childhood friend of my son,” Tardozzi told GPOne.

“There is a friendship, and they saw us walking from the offices to the hospitality area at Motegi, which is how this rumour came about.

“A possibility? They saw us and a journalist came up with the story, then maybe he gave us an idea, I don't know.

“As far as I am concerned, my relationship with Maverick goes beyond work.

“The truth is that we are looking to the future, considering that Michele is a certain age and that we will probably need someone in the future.

“That's a reality, but who it will be is not yet defined: we have absolutely nothing done, written or even thought out yet.”

Vinales would be a good Ducati option

On the matter, Vinales said in Indonesia he wanted something that provided him with good motivation and wasn’t sure testing would give him that.

However, Ducati does have a test rider problem for 2027.

Its current line-up consists of Nicolo Bulega and Pirro, but the former will move into a race seat with VR46 next year.

Pirro is also 40 years old and hasn’t been a full-time racer in MotoGP since 2012.

By contrast, Yamaha, Honda and KTM have employed test riders with recent MotoGP experience.

Vinales has vast knowledge of multiple bikes on the grid. If he did become a test rider, he wouldn’t be able to take part in wildcards in 2027 after they were banned.

But he would be a strong replacement option should one of Ducati’s stable be injured at any point.