It’s something I never imagined, I was scared. Alex Rins reacts to switching to a non-factory Honda

It’s something I never imagined, Alex Rins admitted in a recent interview. The Spanish rider had to quickly look for a new job after Suzuki announced its end, and he couldn’t imagine himself on anything other than a factory bike. So what did Rins have to say about Honda and what other teams has he been in talks with?

After the Suzuki Ecstar stable confirmed its intention to leave MotoGP, the pair of Joan Mir and Rins were suddenly free riders with no commitments for the coming season.

Almost immediately, however, Rins was approached by other teams and didn’t have to worry too much about his future. Specifically, he spoke with KTM, Ducati, Gresini and LCR, and it is with a non-factory Honda team that the 26-year-old will link his career.

However, in a recent interview with Motorsport, he admitted that he was worried about the reality of having to take a commitment with a non-factory team.

Rins’ statement

“You know, I was a bit scared when Suzuki announced their retirement from MotoGP. And that’s because I’m not a beginner rider anymore and I was trying to find a factory bike, which luckily we got. But I was a bit scared because it wasn’t easy. It’s something I never imagined,” Rins said in an interview.

“Sure, if I had signed with Lucio (Cechinello – Honda’s LCR boss) without having a factory bike and it was my only option, I would have taken it. But I’m happy because I can’t imagine myself on a non-factory bike,” he explains.

“I had the opportunity to go to Ducati, but they couldn’t provide me with an official bike. So it’s a pleasure to have a contract with the official manufacturer, Honda. I have a lot of experience and will have a lot of ideas on how to improve the bike,” added Rins.

In the current season, Rins is only ninth with 75 points, whereupon Suzuki riders have recently admitted that the mood in the team after the announcement of his departure is not what it was before. And that probably reflects not only on-track performance, but Suzuki no longer has the motivation to improve its bikes in any way.

Sources: MotoGP, Motorsport