MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Alex Rins has openly questioned his situation at Yamaha following a difficult United States Grand Prix weekend in MotoGP 2026, describing himself as “useless” on the bike.
The Japanese manufacturer is currently undergoing a major transition with the development of its new V4 project. However, early-season results have exposed significant performance issues, with Yamaha collecting just nine points in the constructors’ standings after three rounds. The situation has been further complicated by Fabio Quartararo’s decision to leave for Honda next season.
The US Grand Prix marked a low point for Yamaha, as all four of its riders finished at the back of the classification. Rins endured the most difficult weekend, qualifying last and finishing last in the race, over 38 seconds behind the winner and more than 10 seconds behind Quartararo, the next Yamaha rider ahead.
Throughout the weekend, Rins struggled with persistent technical issues, particularly inconsistent throttle response when exiting corners. These problems significantly affected his ability to maintain rhythm and competitiveness.
“Seeing all four Yamahas at the back isn’t great. I wasn’t exactly surprised, but I thought to myself, ‘we’re all here?’” Rins said.
He explained that the bike failed to respond properly when opening the throttle in key sections of the circuit, including Turns 1 and 11, creating unpredictable performance across different laps.
“On some laps it was fine, on others the problem came back,” he added.
The issues were already evident during pre-qualifying, where Rins struggled to control the bike, particularly in braking and direction changes.
“During my second run, the bike wasn’t working. I was running wide in every corner, couldn’t turn or change direction, and I felt useless on the bike,” he said.
The severity of the situation led Rins to question his position in MotoGP, reflecting a notable drop in motivation amid ongoing struggles.
“I asked myself, ‘what the hell am I doing here?’ There are moments when I’m not enjoying it, and I end up wondering what we are doing,” he admitted.
His comments align with earlier remarks from Quartararo, who suggested Yamaha currently lacks a clear solution to its M1 problems. This assessment is reinforced by statements from Yamaha management, with Paolo Pavesio previously describing the team’s situation as “a mountain to climb.”
Overall, Yamaha’s performance at the start of the 2026 season highlights a significant technical and competitive challenge. Without rapid progress in resolving core issues, pressure on both the team and its riders is expected to intensify as MotoGP heads into the next phase of the championship.
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