– More than 1,000 days after his last MotoGP appearance to date, Jonas Folger is facing an emotional and demanding comeback: The Upper Bavarian is replacing the injured Maverick Vinales at the French Grand Prix in Le Mans and knows exactly what challenge awaits him.
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“The pace and rhythm at this level will be the problem after so many years,” Folger explains before his first race weekend in the premier class since 2023.
However, no one in the KTM camp doubts that he has not forgotten how to ride a motorcycle. “You don’t forget how to ride,” says Brad Binder with regard to Folger’s return. He fully trusts the German to surprise many observers.
“I believe he will be much faster than some think. Staying within two seconds is not that difficult. Finding that last bit is hard.”
Folger tested for two days in Mugello beforehand
Folger himself strikes a much calmer tone before his comeback. The priority is initially to worthily represent Vinales and to gradually readjust to the current MotoGP world. “First, I wish Maverick a speedy recovery. He is a great guy and a great rider,” says Folger.
His goal is to “not do anything crazy” and to get used to the KTM. Since his last appearance, quite a bit has changed in MotoGP: “Many things have changed in the past three years,” the German knows.
Folger sees the Michelin tires as the biggest challenge. Although he already completed two test days in Mugello before Le Mans, he mostly used different tires. “So tomorrow it will be about getting used to the tires again,” he explains. “But at least I’m not starting from zero.”
Photo gallery: The career highlights of Jonas Folger
Also because Folger has continued to work as a test rider for KTM in the background. “Before the test team gets certain parts, I test them. So that means I don’t sit on the motorcycle as often as Dani [Pedrosa] and Pol [Espargaro],” explains the 32-year-old. “So I wasn’t completely away from the motorcycle.”
Folger: “Like the first time on a bike”
Nevertheless, the first contact with the current MotoGP KTM in Mugello was a special moment. Above all, the top speed impressions immediately gave Folger goosebumps.
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“It was almost like the first time on a MotoGP bike in 2017,” he recalls. Even with conservative engine mapping, the ride thrilled him: “These high-speed sections over the crests are crazy. I just smiled all day.”
The spontaneous return to MotoGP came as a surprise to Folger. He was actually working on another KTM project in Most when the call from Mattighofen came.
“I was not prepared at all,” he admits. After he had already heard about Espargaro’s injury and his absence as a replacement rider in Jerez, he quickly guessed what it was about. “They explained the situation to me and I said, ‘Okay, I can do that.'” The decision was then made “pretty quickly.”
Also because of his close connection to Tech3: “It is always a pleasure for me to enter the MotoGP paddock. Especially with the guys from Tech3, who are really close friends of mine.” In 2017, he himself rode for the team, back then still on Yamaha.
Now he returns to the Tech3 garage – as a part-time teammate of Enea Bastianini. The Italian admits: “It’s difficult not to have a teammate.”
He misses Vinales as an important point of reference within the team: “Maverick works very well and on some tracks he is a reference for me because I really like his riding style.” Although they have recently improved even without the Spaniard, that is mainly due to the good work within the box.
“I hope Maverick is back in Barcelona,” says Bastianini, who knows from his own experience how difficult shoulder injuries can be. If Vinales continues to be out, Folger could step in again. But that is not certain yet.
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For the German, Le Mans is now the main focus. “I already enjoy meeting all the people here again,” he raves. “I’m just happy to be here.”
