Portimao.- In a convulsive start to the season in terms of results, with three winners and nine different drivers in the first three races, the Austin event offered the first signs of stability, with the second victory of the course for Enea Bastianini and the second consecutive podium for Alex Rins, who after finishing third in Argentina climbed to second position on the American track, starting second overall just five points behind the Italian.
This situation leaves the Suzuki rider with options to lead the Portimao World Championship, confirming a very solid start to the year, totally in contrast to the unstable 2021 season, in which he had speed but was the victim of errors in the form of a crash.
To do this, the Barcelona runner assured in Austin that he had prepared thoroughly during the winter “working hard on both the physical and mental aspects.”
This Thursday, in Portimao, where the Portuguese Grand Prix is being held this weekend, the Barcelona driver delved a little deeper into the aspects he has worked on and that have led to a transformation in his way of approaching the races.
“We work a little on the head with a psychologist, we also work a little on the body, and the fact that the bike has taken a step forward also helps. It all adds up, that the bike goes well and that the rider does a good job,” explains Rins.
Last year, on this same circuit, Rins crashed when he crossed the limit chasing Fabio Quartararo in the fight for victory.
“Last year’s crash was very extreme, very rare, not because I exceeded it, on the previous lap I did exactly the same thing and nothing happened. I don’t know if this year, in an identical situation, I would face it differently, The truth is that I don’t really want to put myself on that stage. We’re at a very high level, similar to that of our rivals and we always have to seek the limit without going over it”.
Rins does not see, or does not want to explain, the strengths in which he has supposedly improved.
“Personally I see myself similar to last year, perhaps what has changed is the determination with which we face the races, I think it is better than last year,” he admits.
A Rins who plans to continue along the same lines with the arrival of the European World Championship, with his second place overall and after beating his teammate, Joan Mir, in the last three races.
“We arrived at Portimao happy and motivated, it’s a circuit that we like and we’re pretty good at it, but it’s going to be complicated, many riders go very fast here, it’s one more weekend, we’ll focus on Friday, we’ll see how there is the weather because there will be some training in the wet and mixed conditions, we have to be very attentive to get into Q2”.
“Whether I’m second in the championship or have finished ahead of my teammate in the last three races doesn’t change anything for me. In the end what counts is how you get to Valencia”, referring to the last race.
“I am motivated and possibly in one of my best moments, but I think it is the result of the combination of the step forward that the bike has taken and the work that we have done,” the Barcelona native settles.
