“Then I saw Fabio was so fast today, he was a second a lap quicker than everyone but when he made a mistake I thought ok maybe I can manage this. Then we crashed again, we both touched and crashed. Marc was in front and then, at last corner, I thought ‘ok, I will try to brake early and then try to attack in the acceleration’. His mentality was the opposite, try to attack at the brake point, just like in reality! I accelerated well and I won.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
“I’m very, very happy for this podium,” said the 41-year-old Italian. “Because it’s an important result at my home Grand Prix. I trained this week and feel much better on the 2020 game, so this is for me, the team and all of the fans. Unfortunately, I made a mistake on the first lap and I had a crash, so I was a bit behind. But in the end, in the last three laps, I started to see the front three guys and I tried to keep my good rhythm and, in the end, with Fabio’s mistake, I got the podium.”
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
By Eric Johnson
“I want to continue like this because I believe a lot in myself and this team,” said a declarative Alex Rins of the Team Suzuki Ecstar outfit for which he won two MotoGP races for in 2019. “The work the team is doing is awesome. They trusted me during the evolution of the bike at the end of 2017, and ever since we have been working very hard together. In Japan, the factory is doing a great job with always bringing little new updates. We did great in 2019, but now we need to look where 2020 is going.”
Alex Rins – Image AJRN
The two triumphant Grand Prix wins Rins speaks of were the Circuit of Americas Grand Prix on April 12, 2019 and the British Grand Prix on August 22, 2019, the double-header success signifying the first time Suzuki had done such a thing since Kenny Roberts Junior’s four wins during his 2000 500cc World Championship run.
Alex Rins celebrates victory – COTA 2019 – Image by AJRN
Yes, 2019 brought hope and optimism to the Hamamatsu, Japan-based company which has won premier class championships with Barry Sheene in 1976 and 1977, Marco Lucchinelli (1981), Franco Uncini (1982), Kevin Schwantz (1993) and the aforementioned Kenny Roberts Junior (2000). And so now a pandemic has sabotaged the 2020 season and the globetrotting MotoGP contingent must deal with many issues before being called back out to the racetracks of the world. Enter Suzuki mastermind Davide Brivio, a MotoGP paddock stalwart who formerly worked closely with Valentino Rossi in helping the racer manage his global business affairs, Brivio has played a significant role in Suzuki’s MotoGP renaissance.
“Winning a championship for Suzuki is our target,” declared Brivio from his current lockdown base. “Being a champion is something very difficult. We are aware of that. There are very strong competitors, strong riders, strong teams, but we are here to try and win. In the coming years, our approach is to fight for the world title. And no doubt Alex Rins can do this. We are here for this. Suzuki and me, we both believe we can achieve it and we are working hard and doing our best to get the title.”
Alex Rins during Qatar MotoGP Test in February, 2020
Alex Rins and the Team Suzuki Ecstar GSX-RR in-line-four have been something of a match made in heaven, the bike allowing for excellent handling and high speed changes of direction, ideal for Rins’ aggressive, yet smooth riding style.
Rins, like all the rest of us, has had plenty of time to think about riding, racing and even life in general while riding out the coronavirus clampdown, and we were able to find all of this out via a Zoom conference call on Friday. Dressed up in Suzuki blue and in good spirits, albeit a bit bored, Rins spoke to us about his current lot in life in Andorra where the Spaniard has been holding station.
Alex Rins training this week in Andorra
“Well, for me, I’ve had small holidays and have stayed close to home during this lockdown,” pointed out Rins. “I’ve been training at home and doing a little bit of indoor cycling and I’ve been doing some push-ups and stuff, but it is not easy to train at home because I don’t have the right materials and equipment here to work. Now, though, it is clear that we can see light at the end of the tunnel because for example today, we start to ride again with the motorbikes ere in Andorra, so I’m quite happy for this.”
Alex Rins in Andorra this week
At this point in the conversation, I mentioned to Alex that I had spoken with Fabio Quartararo a few days back and that the French MotoGP sensation was also down in Andorra where he was trying to get tuned-up for the day he gets called back to the global racing grid.
“Yes, yes, I have seen a lot of riders riding here in Andorra. As you say, Fabio, Maverick Vinales and the Espargaro brothers. There are a lot of people around. For example, today I went riding with Tito Rabat. That was nice to see once again your rivals at the track and also away from the track! That was good.”
Alex Rins during Qatar MotoGP Test in February, 2020
And of being bored and trying to burn time off the clock before someone, somewhere calls everyone back to Grand Prix racing sometime this summer? “As you know, when you are a rider, your entire life is racing,” offered Rins, visibly a bit flustered in wanting to get back to racing way of life. “I mean, the bike, the PlayStation, going to the workshop that I have… With my friends and coworkers, it’s like, ‘Hey, I go into the shop today and we’ll race, okay? I’ll be faster than you and get out of the way!’ We’re always racing. Not a bad thing. Yes, I’ve been racing on the Esports and PlayStation with MotoGP and I prefer the real one! I like to do that. I’ve also done some races in cars with Gran Turismo and we play these games. These are the kinds of things we’ve enjoyed at home during this period.”
Alex Rins – Qatar MotoGP Test 2020
2019 great year with Suzuki. Two wins. Coming off an awesome season. History! 2020!
“Yes, as you said, we come off of 2019 which was a very good season. This year I hope to go faster than last year and it looks like we will race again at the end of July. That is very good news for us because after a season that was quite good in 2019, I’m so excited to start racing again to feel the adrenaline and to race and to try and win.”
Alex Rins – Qatar MotoGP Test 2020
Having signed on to the dotted line with Suzuki to race as a rookie for the team in 2017, Rins has been the foundation of Suzuki’s rapid ascension in modern day MotoGP, the Suzuki Ecstar outfit working closely together to further fortify and bolster high performance and consistent podium finishes.
“For sure, we win the races together and we are all very close, and as you know, I just signed two more years with Suzuki,” explained Rins of 2020 and beyond. “All of us together as a team and with the bike, we are all together and we have the same mentality and that is to win. For sure I believe in them and they believe in me.
Alex Rins and Joan Mir
“I’m also now very excited to start back racing to show to the world that I’m more ready than ever to fight again,” continued Rins of just what’ll come next. “It’s not easy to win a race in MotoGP and I got two victories last year and that was a pleasure for me. When you arrive and you do something like that, you want to keep it and for sure I want to continue getting podiums and winning races. And something we want to focus on this year is to be more consistent and to finish all the races on the podium and to try and see where we are at come Valencia. We improved the bike a little bit and made it more consistent and it is more powerful down the straights for 2020 As you said, the 2019 season was so good and we are ready. Suzuki did a very good job and they believe in me and they want to start racing right now – and so do I!”
Alex Rins – Sepang MotoGP Test 2020
Source: MCNews.com.au
Later in the week Fox Sports delve into the careers of Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, Mick Doohan and Valentino Rossi, before turning their attention to one of their own: Phillip Island. A rider and fan favourite, Fox Sports dives into some of the greatest races at the iconic venue, before they talk more about 2019 podium finisher Jack Miller and his career. On Sunday, the MotoGP™ Week finishes with a look back at some of the best races of the last decade.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
With 11 wins out of 16, 2001 was the springboard for The Doctor’s dominant 00s era as Rossi went on to win another four on the bounce after a stellar campaign. So what better way to spend your Sunday morning than with a bit of a 500cc nostalgia? Tune in to BT Sport 1HD at 10am BST on Sunday to catch four races and all the talking points from 2001.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Paul Duparc (FIM), Hervé Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), in electronic meetings held on the 30th of April and 7th of May 2020, made the following decisions which are all consequent on the impact of the coronavirus epidemic:
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli reopened its doors for the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak began as Michele Pirro (Ducati Team), Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team), Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2), reigning FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE) and other Italian riders spun some laps on the Riviera di Rimini coast.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
A new, provisional BSB calendar – including the British Talent Cup, which races alongside the series – has been drafted, taking into account the roadmap of the British government’s phased reopening of activities. This has been undertaken in consultation with teams, broadcasters and circuits in order to provide the best conditions for a credible, competitive and sustainable BSB Championship in 2020 and beyond.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
We’ve picked out five of the tightest victory margins ever, and five of the closest top 15 finishes in recent years for you to indulge. From Valencia 2011 that saw Casey Stoner pip Ben Spies to the line by just 0.015, to Qatar 2018, Germany 2006 and Ducati’s 1-2 at the 2018 Czech GP… all this and plenty more nail-biting MotoGP™ action – totally FREE for seven days.
Source: MotoGP.com – Read Full Article Here
Some MotoGP World Championship riders resident in Andorra have resumed their training today, Wednesday, around the tight and twisty layout of the Circuit Andorra Pas de la Casa.
Not the normal tools that Alex Rins is normally seen on
A damp circuit greeted riders in the morning but the track dried in the afternoon which allowed riders to begin to sharpen their senses and skills surrounded by snow-capped mountains high up in the Pyrenees mountains, near the French border.
Tito Rabat
Australian’s Jack Miller and youngster Billy van Eerde also base themselves in Andorra during the race season and spend plenty of time on Circuit Andorra Pas de la Casa but the duo are still in Australia at this time.
The session featured MotoGP riders such as Tito Rabat, Fabio Quartararo, Álex Rins, Aleix and Pol Espargaró and Maverick Viñales, who will continue to prepare for what will be an unusual start to the World Championship over the coming weeks.
Alex Rins
Source: MCNews.com.au