Shaina interviews… Alex Rins!

Shaina:

Hi Alex, how have you been?

Alex Rins:

Very good thank you. Here in Andorra during the lockdown I've been at home, with my dogs, everything is okay. A little bit difficult to be doing nothing. But now it looks like the government has started to let us ride a little bit. This morning I've been riding on Pas de la Casa [circuit in Andorra].

Shaina:

And congratulations on your engagement!

Alex Rins:

Thank you, it was so nice.

Shaina:

What have been your favourite things to do during the lockdown?

Alex Rins:

Well, I learned how to cook better! With my girlfriend. Also we play a lot with the dogs, I did a bit of gym in my home with some bottles of water, some push us, a bit of static cycling and I played on the Playstation.

Shaina:

When I miss something, I usually look at old pictures or videos of it. What do you do when you miss racing a lot?

Alex Rins:

Yes, I've seen a lot of old races on TV. Also, I tried to imagine when I was on the bike.

Shaina:

Do you dream a lot about racing?

Alex Rins:

Yes! After Valencia you want a bit of a holiday, after riding a lot during the season. Then you are work so hard during all the pre-season and just one week before the season starts, they cancelled. It's a shame.

Shaina:

I've enjoyed watching the Virtual GP when there has been no racing. What are your thoughts about it? Did you practice much for it?

Alex Rins:

I practice a lot the day before. I've been going to bed at 5 in the morning more-or-less trying to learn how to be fast! It's not easy learning how to be fast on the Playstation because it's not like a real motorbike, you just have a controller.

Shaina:

Is it harder for you than the real thing?

Alex Rins:

I struggle a lot more on the Playstation!

Shaina:

MotoGP will try to start for real in July. Have you been talking with your team about the improvement of the bike?

Alex Rins:

Yes, I spoke with them for example on Monday to see how is the improvement, in which areas they are working now. It's so difficult to improve the bike from home, but they can do good work on the electronic side. So for sure they will prepare a lot of mappings to try when we are back on the track.

Shaina:

Is the new Suzuki clearly better than last year's bike?

Alex Rins:

For sure. I've tried the new bike on two tracks, Malaysia and Qatar. And sincerely I prefer that bike. I feel more comfortable on it and it looks like it's easier to be fast or to keep the rhythm.

Shaina:

A lot of fans are missing MotoGP. What are you missing the most?

Alex Rins:

I miss being with my team, my friends in the paddock, sleeping in my motorhome, feeling the adrenaline. I miss those things a lot.

Shaina:

What are your thoughts on racing without any fans?

Alex Rins:

It will be difficult for sure. For me in the pre-season tests already we are riding without many fans in the grandstands, but racing will be so hard because when you are at a Grand Prix you can usually see the grandstands are full of people. If they make races like this [without fans] it's for safety, but for sure it will be strange in FP1 and FP2 to see nobody.

Shaina:

But it's better than no racing or virtual racing?

Alex Rins:

For sure it's better!

Shaina:

This year will be a short season and many circuits could have two races. You've won at Austin and Silverstone but it seems they will not be on the calendar this year. However, Austria, where you struggled more, might have two races. What's your strategy for this short season?

Alex Rins:

The plan is to improve on last year. As you say, we will race two times on the same track, we need to do it like this otherwise there will not be time to move everything to another track. So the strategy is to go full gas! For sure it will be different and we need to pay more attention because for example if you crash and get injured, you can't afford to miss a race and there will be races almost every week.

Shaina:

If you could choose any circuits to race at this year, what would they be?

Alex Rins:

For sure I would like to do Jerez, Mugello, Misano - not Austria! - Silverstone, Holland, Finland, Qatar, Malaysia.

Shaina:

Finally, congratulations on your new Suzuki contract. What do you like most about being a Suzuki rider and about your team-mate Joan Mir?

Alex Rins:

Well as you say, I signed for two more years at Suzuki. The thing I like most is that it's like a family. It's so nice. Also they have the same mentality as me, to win races and the championship. So let's try to go for it. With Joan, I'm happy that he remains in Suzuki because I think he's a very good rider.

Shaina:

Thank you very much for your time.

Alex Rins:

Thanks to you!