Jonas Folger will replace Maverick Viñales at the French MotoGP Grand Prix

Maverick Viñales' return will not be happening this weekend. MotoGPThe Spanish rider, already forced to withdraw from Jerez after having to end his weekend at the Austin circuit, is still recovering from corrective surgery at the end of March. Not yet fit enough, the 2013 Moto3 World Champion has no choice but to stay home this week. I've given it my all since the operation to fully recover and I've always had Le Mans leading as a target race for my return. However, after a visit to Red Bull At the Athlete Performance Centre this week, I was told I wasn't yet fit enough to get back on the bike. While I'm disappointed, I understand that getting back to full fitness is the most important thing, and I'll keep my head down and focus on that goal., we can read about him in the press release issued today by KTM.

Jonas Folger returns after a three-year absence from the premier class

So it's a former member of the team who will take over the handlebars of the Red Bull KTM Tech3 machine. Jonas Folger, former teammate of Johann Zarco when Hervé Poncharal's team notably ran its private Yamahas, will start the French MotoGP Grand Prix this weekend in Le Mans. Le Mans will be a big challenge after so many years away from competition, and getting back on the bike will mean adapting quickly and learning a lot throughout the weekend. It's going to be tough, that's for sure, but I think the positives outweigh the difficulties and I'm really looking forward to it.The German rider spoke with lucidity. Indeed, Jonas Folger's last appearance in MotoGP dates back to the six races he rode to fill in for Pol Espargaró in 2023, riding the GASGAS team's KTM RC16. It's also worth remembering that Jonas Folger, for health reasons, ended his "first career" in MotoGP and didn't complete his 2017 season with Tech3.

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