Although the signing materialized a few weeks earlier, it was not until last Tuesday that the three parties involved in the operation (LCR, Honda and Alex Rins), communicated the agreement that will see the Barcelonan race on an RC213V the next two seasons.
In this way, the Spaniard made sure to remain on the grid for 2023, something that even he came to question when, after the Spanish Grand Prix, the devastating news regarding the closure of the Suzuki MotoGP division once finished This exercise.
“I was afraid of losing my job, or of ending up on a motorcycle that was not competitive,” Rins acknowledges on the ‘Tank Slappers’ podcast, in Autosport, before going on to recount the different options that were presented to him, and which ones These were the reasons that led him to opt for the Monegasque structure.
“I’m very happy because I didn’t see myself on an unofficial bike. I have a lot of experience and tools to optimize the bike, so I didn’t see myself in a position that wasn’t on an official bike. I was able to go to Ducati, but there they couldn’t secure a factory bike. I understood it and I thank them for the opportunity, but in the end I made a commitment to Honda and that makes me super happy”, the Barcelonan deepens.
Suzuki ‘s slam cut off what, until then, had been Rins’ best start in the heavy bike category: after the first five stops on the calendar, the #42 reached sixth (Jerez) at the top of the table of points, tied with Fabio Quartararo.
From then on, a chain of falls cut off that positive dynamic and led him to accumulate only eight more points in the following six appointments. Now he is ninth in the general table, with 75 points, two less than Joan Mir, his workshop neighbor and with whom, presumably, he will meet again in 2023 – the Mallorcan is expected to announce his signing for Repsol Honda soon.
With the folder related to his future already resolved, Rins has set himself the goal of getting back on the podium before saying goodbye to the big S factory and, if possible, to the highest step of all.
“From my point of view, this year’s bike is one of the most competitive that Suzuki has ever done. The first race we have is at Silverstone, a circuit that I like a lot – there he achieved the second of the three victories he has in MotoGP (2020).– I really want to try the Honda, but first I want to try to get on the podium and win some more races with the Suzuki”, emphasizes Rins.
Do you want to read our news before anyone else and for free? Follow us here on our Telegram channel and you won’t miss a thing. All the information, at your fingertips!
