Maverick Vinales reveals crucial help from "idol" Dani Pedrosa at KTM
“I’m open to listen to Dani and understand how I can improve”
Maverick Vinales says he is “grateful” for the feedback he has been getting about how to be a better KTM MotoGP rider from his “idol” Dani Pedrosa.
Ten-time premier class grand prix winner Vinales joins the Tech3 squad for the 2025 season as a factory KTM rider, following three and a half years with Aprilia.
Read more: KTM's MotoGP project stands defiant amid company chaos
KTM’s current test team is one of the strongest in the paddock, with three-time MotoGP championship runner-up Pedrosa and multiple podium finisher Pol Espargaro at the helm.
Pedrosa’s influence at KTM has been particularly big in recent years, with Vinales revealing following the brand’s 2025 launch event just how helpful he has been to him already.
“It’s not only that he tells me, I wish for him to tell me,” Vinales said of the advice Pedrosa gives him.
“I’m open to listen to Dani and understand how I can improve also my riding style and my way to race.
“I think every year you have to learn, and having on your side Dani Pedrosa, who has been one of my idols since I was a kid, I’m really grateful for that because I can learn a lot and I can understand where I can improve myself, or maybe how I can read the races.
“And this is very important. To be honest, maybe from the last nine years, it’s the first year I don’t have to develop a bike.
“So, that’s a huge change. I can concentrate on myself, on the setting. I remember last year I didn’t even have three laps to do work on the setting.
“So, this year I have plenty of laps to do my setting. So, I wish this can make a big difference to go to the next level.”
Asked what advice he had been given already, Vinales replied: “Some, yes. That’s why I was training a lot because I’m trying to incorporate that into my riding style.
“So, he gave me a few [pieces of advice] and I’m happy for that.”
KTM confirmed that Pedrosa and Espargaro are at Sepang this week for the shakedown ahead of the first official pre-season test of the year on 5-7 February.
The ongoing insolvency proceedings at KTM had led to speculation about KTM cutting Pedrosa from its test rider roster, but this doesn’t appear to be the case for now.
