The nine-time MotoGP race winner announced in June that he would be leaving Yamaha a year ahead of schedule as the relationship between the two parties deteriorated dramatically over the course of 2021.
At the time, it was thought Vinales would go to Aprilia for 2022, which the brand announced in early August.
Vinales was ousted from the Yamaha works squad after being suspended from the Austrian Grand Prix because he had deliberately tried to damage the engine of his M1 at the Styrian GP.
The Spaniard made his Aprilia debut at a private test on Tuesday in Misano and again drove the RS-GP at the GP venue of San Marino on Wednesday.
Aprilia has now confirmed that Vinales will end the 2021 season with the team before his full-time debut in 2022, replacing Lorenzo Savadori – who will drive as a wildcard for the remainder of the year and return as a test driver next season.
“We are very proud to announce our plans for the current season and for 2022 with the aim of optimizing the contributions of our three drivers to the utmost,” said Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola.
“In addition to our confirmed driver Aleix [Espargaro], It is a pleasure for us to welcome a talented athlete like Maverick to the Aprilia Racing Team, who immediately showed a great feeling with the team and the bike and who I am confident will do his best at the Aragon GP can give.
“At the same time, we are also confirming Lorenzo’s role as test driver 2022. This is a fundamental position that rewards the great effort he has shown in developing the new RS-GP as he will end the 2021 season with the wild cards that we have will decide together as soon as he is back at 100% fitness. “
Aprilia celebrated its first podium of the modern MotoGP era at the British GP last weekend when Aleix Espargaro finished third at Silverstone.
Espargaro and Vinales were previously teammates at Suzuki in 2015 and 2016.