Alex Rins renews with Yamaha for two-year extension in MotoGP
Alex Rins has renewed his MotoGP contract with Monster Yamaha until the end of the 2026 season and will continue with the Factory Yamaha team alongside 2021 MotoGP Champion, Fabio Quartararo.
Rins and Quartararo have been tasked with bringing Yamaha back to the forefront of the MotoGP grid, after Yamaha scored their first season without a victory in 2023, for the first time since the 2003 season.
Rins was one of the frontrunners to take the 2020 MotoGP championship after Marc Marquez was injured for most of the season. Rins duelled with Quartararo and his Suzuki teammate at the time, Joan Mir. Mir would take the championship honours, with Quartararo taking the championship just one year later.
Rins would leave Suzuki at the end of 2022 after Suzuki pulled out of MotoGP. The Spaniard joined LCR Honda and even took a surprise victory at the U.S Grand Prix in 2023. However, with Honda falling further through the grid and out of frequent points-scoring positions, Rins would join the Factory Yamaha team in 2024.
The Spaniard has got a best result of 13th place with Yamaha so far, and has done so on two occasions. However, as Ducati’s, Aprilia’s and KTM’s dominate the Top 10, Rins and Quartararo have been appointed by Yamaha to lead the charge and bring the Japanese manufacturer back to the front of the grid.
Recent years have been tough for Yamaha, in 2023 they didn’t win a single Grand Prix. This marked the first time since 2003 that Yamaha hadn’t got at least one victory in the season, which was before Valentino Rossi joined from the 2004 season and went on to dominate the sport.
According to many, Yamaha have appeared to stagnate in recent years, and have been forced to play catch-up against Ducati and the other manufacturers with both the main fundamentals of the motorcycle, the electronics and the tyre wear.
Speaking on his fresh deal with Yamaha, Rins took to social media to say: “With Yamaha for two more years. Happy to announce that we’ll keep working together at least until 2026. We’ll bring Yamaha where it belongs, to the top!”
The MotoGP British Grand Prix commences this weekend, with many eyes on Yamaha to see if they have made any progress over the summer break.
Featured Image: Monster Energy Yamaha
