MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Alex Rins has conceded that Yamaha remains “very far from the competitors” after completing a difficult final day of pre-season testing in Thailand with just one bike at his disposal.
An unusual situation unfolded inside the Yamaha garage, as Rins handed over his second machine to team-mate Fabio Quartararo, forcing the Spaniard to manage the session with a single bike. The scenario underlined the operational and developmental challenges currently facing the Iwata manufacturer.
“It was a difficult day to manage with only one bike. We were testing some set-ups and couldn’t do many laps because I only had one machine,” Rins explained.
Despite the limitation, the team completed a sprint race simulation, though the performance gap was evident.
“We are very far from our competitors,” he admitted.
The decision to relinquish the second bike was made the night before the session. Rins revealed that the team consulted him ahead of time.
“They called me before dinner and asked if I agreed. I told them: what do you want me to do? He needs my bike. We have to keep working on this project,” he said.
Rins described the gesture as part of his responsibility within the team structure.
“You have to be a gentleman,” he added.
On track, he attempted a late improvement run using a fresh tyre, but high engine mileage limited the potential gain.
“I improved the lap time a bit, but the engine had already done a lot of kilometres and I felt the loss of power,” he explained.
Mentally, Rins showed composure despite the setbacks. He acknowledged that learning to manage frustration has been part of his development as a rider.
“When the bike doesn’t work or I can’t set a good lap time, I try to channel that frustration during the in-lap back to the pits so I arrive in the box in a better mindset,” he said.
Physically, however, the Spaniard confirmed he feels fully fit after previous mobility concerns.
“Physically I feel very strong. I can walk normally, run, ride a bicycle. I had a very good pre-season at home and in the gym,” he stated.
Looking ahead to the Thai Grand Prix season opener, Rins remained realistic about expectations.
“No rider is ever prepared to be at the back. That’s the truth,” he concluded.
With Yamaha still deep in a rebuilding phase, the opening rounds of the 2026 campaign are expected to serve as a continuation of development, as the team works to close the performance deficit to the front-running manufacturers.
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