Rins rues costly crash, felt he had pace to lead

Alex Rins couldn’t hide his disappointment at being able to make the most of his evident speed during the Austrian MotoGP by crashing out just moments after moving into the lead of the race.

The Spaniard, who is still recovering from a shoulder injury that he said had him ‘screaming in his helmet’ for the first few minutes of Friday practice, Rins nonetheless gritted his teeth on race day to emerge in contention for the win.

Benefitting from the restart with its shorter distance, Rins stalked his way into contention before pulling a move on Andrea Dovizioso for the lead into turn five with ten laps remaining. However, that would be where his challenge came to an abrupt end, Rins folding the front of the Suzuki and sliding off into the gravel trap to retire.

Frustrated to see an excellent chance of winning his and Suzuki’s first MotoGP race since Silverstone 12 months ago slip through his grasp, he is nonetheless confident he can make amends at this weekend’s Styrian MotoGP around the same circuit.

“I started the first race well but I then I couldn’t keep the rhythm because I felt some locking, then I was behind the big crash and it was so scary - I want to send best wishes to the riders involved.

“In the restart I felt really good with the bike and the rear tyre, and when I was behind Dovizioso I knew I had the pace to lead, so I overtook him where I felt most confident in corner 6.

“But then I lost the front and crashed, which was a real shame. But everything is so close in this championship and I’m ready to put today behind me and focus on next weekend.”