Rins: 'He broke his shock or what?!'

Ducati had managed to keep it a secret for several rounds, but during last year's Malaysian MotoGP race (pictured) Alex Rins spotted that the rear of Jack Miller's bike was being lowered as he accelerated onto some of the straights.

Until then, it had been assumed that Ducati's holeshot device was redundant after turn one. But the factory had evolved the ride-height system so that it could be used at will by the rider from Buriram onwards.

"I was the first to see it, in Malaysia, and I was thinking, 'he broke his rear shock or what?!'" Rins joked on Friday at Jerez.

Other factories have been forced to follow Ducati's lead and develop similar lowering systems of their own, although Aprilia was the only other manufacturer to use a holeshot device (albeit fitted to the front forks) at the start of a race last year.

Rins confirmed that Suzuki's version is also on the front and should be ready for this Sunday's 2020 season-opener.

"Suzuki have worked really hard to try something on the front for the starts and I'm quite confident about this," Rins said.

"We haven't tried anything on the back yet."

Yamaha's holeshot system should also make its race debut on Sunday.

The factory has been testing a rear-shock device similar to Ducati over the winter and, while the initial version required the rider to twist a switch by his knee (meaning it was too cumbersome to be used after a race start) the Factory-spec M1s now seem to have a new handlebar lever to trigger the system.

That has naturally prompted suspicions that they are ready to deploy the device in the same way as Ducati; to help reduce wheelies on corner exit as well as at the race start.

"We are starting quite well with the new device," said Monster Yamaha's Maverick Vinales.

But he insisted: "It’s just for the start… I’m not thinking to use [it anywhere else on the track] because we have other problems."

Repsol Honda also has a new handlebar switch at Jerez, suggesting they will have at least a holeshot device in use on Sunday.

Honda's reigning champion Marc Marquez was fastest during Friday practice at Jerez, with Vinales second and Rins in seventh but only 0.219s from the top.

Rins was badly in need of a holeshot device last season when he qualified on the front row just once in 19 rounds, but believes he can fight for the front row on Saturday.

"Since the pre-season we've tried different things to help with qualifying and, sincerely, in Malaysia and also Qatar we did a good qualifying lap," said Rins, who fought his way forwards for two race victories last year.

"We changed something on the set-up and also the new tyre helps me to understand more where the limit is over one lap. I think I'm ready to fight for poles and the front row. Let's see tomorrow but I'm full of confidence that we will be at the top also."