Alex Rins drops blatant hint about Yamaha’s plan to recruit Pramac

"Two more factory bikes on the grid…"

Alex Rins, MotoGP, Grand Prix of the Americas, 14 April
Alex Rins, MotoGP, Grand Prix of the Americas, 14 April

Alex Rins might have given the game away, about the future of Pramac Racing.

The saga over the satellite team’s 2025 plans has been ongoing for months until, ahead of this weekend’s Dutch MotoGP, Sky Italia reported that Pramac will soon announce a switch from Ducati to Yamaha.

Pramac told Crash.net that the report was just “rumours” but Yamaha’s Rins has now fanned the flames.

Rins was asked in Assen to summarise a hectic rider market.

He described it: “Not dramatic. I mean… interesting, let’s say.

“There will be many changes next year.

“Also, maybe, in some hours or some days, somebody is announcing two more factory bikes on the grid…

“It’s a good thing for us. We can grow, we can improve our bike. Interesting…”

A grinning Rins was swiftly cut off - but he had made his point.

The expectation in the MotoGP paddock is that Pramac will end a long-standing partnership with Ducati to instead join Yamaha next year.

It means they swap the factory-spec Desmosedici for the M1.

For Yamaha, the addition of two more bikes is a crucial boost in data which they believe will fast-track their growth back into the powerhouse that they once were.

It also means that Yamaha have two additional rider vacancies to fill in 2025.

Rins, the teammate of Fabio Quartararo, has a contract which expires this year but the chances of a stay at Yamaha will increase if Pramac are added.

“I have the opportunity,” Rins said.

“I am blessed for this. I am really grateful.

“We are doing a good job with them, the whole group, to improve the bike.

“But this is work for my manager, not me! Let’s see how this goes.”

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