Maverick Viñales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maverick Viñales
Viñales in 2019
Nationality	Spanish
Born	(1995-01-12) 12 January 1995 (age 30) Figueres, Spain
Current team	Red Bull KTM Tech3
Bike number	12
Motorcycle racing career statistics MotoGP World Championship Active years 2015– Manufacturers Suzuki (2015–2016) Yamaha (2017–2021) Aprilia (2021–2024) KTM (2025–) Championships 0 2024 championship position 7th (190 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 180 10 35 15 12 1687 Moto2 World Championship Active years 2014 Manufacturers Kalex Championships 0 2014 championship position 3rd (274 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 18 4 9 1 5 274 Moto3 World Championship Active years 2012–2013 Manufacturers FTR Honda (2012) KTM (2013) Championships 1 (2013) 2013 championship position 1st (323 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 32 8 22 7 4 530 125cc World Championship Active years 2011 Manufacturers Aprilia Championships 0 2011 championship position 3rd (248 pts) Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 17 4 9 3 3 248

Maverick Viñales Ruiz (born 12 January 1995) is a Spanish Grand Prix motorcycle racer. He is famous for winning the 2013 Moto3 World Championship. After racing for the Yamaha factory team in MotoGP for five seasons, his contract ended early in the 2021 season. He then joined the Aprilia Racing team, where he continues to compete in the MotoGP class.

Maverick Viñales' Racing Journey

Starting Out in Racing

Maverick Viñales was born in Figueres, Spain. He started racing tiny motorcycles called minimotos when he was just three years old! Later, he tried motocross before moving to circuit racing in 2002. He quickly became a champion in the Catalan 125cc Championship in both 2007 and 2008.

In 2009, he joined the CEV Buckler 125GP series. He finished second in the championship, earning the "Rookie of the Year" award. He even won a race at Jerez. In 2010, he won the championship title by just two points, even though his rival won more races.

Racing in the 125cc World Championship (2011)

Viñales at the 2011 Aragon Grand Prix

In 2011, Viñales moved up to the 125cc World Championship. He quickly showed his talent. At the Le Mans race, he won his first Grand Prix. He was only 16 years old, making him one of the youngest riders ever to win a Grand Prix! He won three more races that season and finished third overall, earning the "Rookie of the Year" award again.

Competing in the Moto3 World Championship (2012–2013)

A Challenging 2012 Season

Viñales at the 2012 Australian Grand Prix

In 2012, Viñales was expected to win the new Moto3 championship. He won five races early on. However, he had some crashes, which made it hard to keep up with other riders. At one point, he had a disagreement with his team and left a race early. He later apologized and returned for the last two races, finishing third in the championship.

Becoming a World Champion in 2013

For 2013, Viñales joined Team Calvo. He won his first two races with the new team. He had many close battles, often leading races until the very last lap. The championship came down to the final race, with three riders having a chance to win. Viñales won that exciting last race, becoming the Moto3 World Champion!

Moving to Moto2 (2014)

After his Moto3 success, Viñales moved to the Moto2 class in 2014. He quickly adapted, winning his first Moto2 race at the Circuit of the Americas. He finished the season in third place overall with four wins and nine podium finishes. He also earned the "Rookie of the Year" award for the third time in his career.

Joining the MotoGP World Championship (2015–Present)

Riding for Suzuki (2015–2016)

Viñales at the 2015 Catalan Grand Prix

In 2015, Maverick Viñales made a big jump to the top class, MotoGP, joining the factory Suzuki team as they returned to racing. He was the first rider to move to MotoGP after only one season in Moto2. In his first year, he showed consistent riding, finishing 12th overall and winning the "Rookie of the Year" award again.

The 2016 season was even better for Viñales and Suzuki. He earned his first MotoGP podium finish in France. Then, he achieved his first-ever MotoGP win at the British Grand Prix. This was a huge moment for Suzuki, as it was their first win since 2007!

Racing for Yamaha (2017–2021)

After his success with Suzuki, Viñales joined the factory Yamaha team for the 2017 season.

Strong Start with Yamaha (2017)

His 2017 season started incredibly well with a win in Qatar, making him the first rider to win on debut for Yamaha since Valentino Rossi in 2004. He won again in Argentina and France. Although he didn't win any more races that year, he finished third in the championship.

A Challenging Time (2018–2020)

The 2018 season was tough for Yamaha. Despite some podiums, the team had a long period without wins. Viñales finally broke this streak with a win at Phillip Island. He finished fourth in the championship.

In 2019, Viñales changed his race number from 25 to 12, which he had used in motocross as a kid. He won two races that year, the Dutch TT and the Malaysian Grand Prix, finishing third in the championship again.

The 2020 season was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Viñales started strong with two second-place finishes. However, he faced some technical problems with his bike, including a brake issue in Styria. He managed one win in Emilia Romagna and finished sixth overall.

Leaving Yamaha (2021)

Viñales started 2021 with a dominant win in Qatar. However, the rest of the season was difficult. After a challenging race in Germany, where he finished last, he announced he would leave Yamaha early. Later, Yamaha ended his contract immediately due to concerns about how his motorcycle was being operated during a race.

Joining Aprilia Racing (2021–2024)

In August 2021, Viñales announced he would join the factory Aprilia team. He made his debut with Aprilia earlier than expected at the Aragon Grand Prix.

His first podium with Aprilia came at the Dutch TT in 2022. He then finished second at the British Grand Prix and third at the San Marino Grand Prix, showing great progress with his new team.

In 2023, Viñales continued to impress with Aprilia. He earned podiums in Portugal and Barcelona, where he and his teammate Aleix Espargaró achieved Aprilia's first-ever 1-2 finish in MotoGP. He also got his first pole position with Aprilia at the last race of the season.

In 2024, at the 2024 Motorcycle Grand Prix of the Americas, Viñales won both the sprint race and the main race. This was his 10th MotoGP win and made him the first rider in the MotoGP era to win races on three different manufacturers (Suzuki, Yamaha, and Aprilia)!

Moving to Red Bull KTM Tech3 (2025–)

On June 13, 2024, it was announced that Maverick Viñales will join the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team as a factory rider starting in 2025.

Career Statistics

Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing

By Season

By Class

Races by Year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

* Season still in progress.

Maverick's Family and Name

Maverick Viñales has a cousin named Isaac Viñales, who is also a motorcycle racer. Isaac has competed in the 125cc, Moto3, and Moto2 World Championships.

Maverick was given his unique first name because his father was a big fan of the movie Top Gun.

Sadly, another one of his cousins, Dean Berta Viñales, passed away at the age of 15 in a racing accident in 2021.

See also

In Spanish: Maverick Viñales para niños