Three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo says he is helping Maverick Vinales to rediscover the “killer” mentality that he had before his grand prix career.

The 2026 season marks Maverick Vinales’ 12th year in the premier class, having made his debut with Suzuki in 2015.

Vinales quickly built up a reputation as a future star of MotoGP, but has just 10 wins to his record and is yet to legitimately mount a challenge for the world championship.

A move from Aprilia to KTM last year with Tech3 saw Vinales emerge as the Austrian brand’s leading light in the first half of the season.

For 2026, he has enlisted MotoGP legend Jorge Lorenzo as a performance coach to help bring out another level.

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Lorenzo knew of Vinales’ reputation “when he was eight years old”

Vinales was signed to replace Lorenzo at Yamaha in 2017, with the pair having a tense relationship before the latter retired in 2019.

Speaking during the Sepang test, which marked Lorenzo’s first official event as part of Vinales’ team, he noted that he wants to help him rediscover the “killer” perception he was famous for even before his grand prix days.

“Now his motivation is very high,” he told the official MotoGP website.

“I don’t know if it’s higher than ever, because I wasn’t with him all of those years.

“I heard about Maverick from when he was eight years old and when I was 15, and he has always been an amazing rider, so much talent.

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“Everyone says that when he was a kid he was a killer and he hated to lose.

“And somehow, I think in the last five, six years, he lost this motivation or hunger to win.

“And now, he understands, after having some daughters and spending some years with them and his wife, he understands that maybe the next two or three years will be his last chance.

“So, he wants to give more than 100% to be at peace with himself and see what happens.”

Vinales’ is out of contract with KTM at the end of this year, though he is hotly tipped to replace Pedro Acosta at the brand’s factory squad.

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Alex Marquez has also been heavily linked to the team.

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