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The 26-year-old was suspended by the Yamaha factory team last
week and withdrawn from Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix for
allegedly trying to destroy his bike's engine at the previous
race.
The nine-times MotoGP race winner had fallen out with the
Japanese manufacturer already before that already and was due to
leave at the end of the season after terminating his contract a
year early.
He apologised on Sunday for actions he said were due to
frustration.
"We are extremely happy to announce that we have signed Maverick
Vinales, a very high-level rider and one of the purest talents
in the premier category," said Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola
in a statement.
"Our project has now been enriched with the value that Maverick
brings - a world champion who has confirmed his talent as a top
rider in MotoGP."
Vinales, who started out in 125cc with Aprilia, won the Moto3
championship in 2013 with KTM.
The Spaniard has signed a one-year deal with an option to renew
and will partner compatriot Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia, who are
racing as a full factory team from 2022, in place of Italian
Lorenzo Savadori.
"The arrival of Maverick in no way distances Lorenzo Savadori
from the team, as he will remain an integral part of the Aprilia
Racing family," said Rivola.
Vinales and Espargaro were previously team mates at Suzuki in
2015-16.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
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