Alex Rins joins Fabio Quartararo at Yamaha in 2024

Alex Rins joins Fabio Quartararo at Yamaha in 2024

Alex Rins will pair with Fabio Quartararo at Yamaha next year in MotoGP, replacing Franco Morbidelli, who is expiring with the Japanese team. Yamaha itself made the announcement: “We are delighted that Alex is joining the team (…), he has great experience as a MotoGP rider and is known for his natural talent and multiple victories,” said team manager Lin Jarvis, in a press release.

Rins, a 27-year-old Spaniard currently at Honda-LCR, made his debut in the premier class of motorcycle speed with Suzuki in 2017. In 2018 he scored the first of his 18 podiums in MotoGP, including six wins. He finished third in the world riders’ championship standings in 2020, so far his best MotoGP performance. He arrived in Honda’s satellite team in early 2023 after joining Suzuki at the end of last year and is currently 13th in the championship.

He leaves the Yamaha team Morbidelli, Moto2 world champion in 2017, who is paying for poor results: 17th in 2021 and 19th in 2022. “Unfortunately these last two years have not gone the way we wanted (…), we finally decided that 2024 would be the time to change things, both for Yamaha and for Franky,” Jarvis said again. Morbidelli, who is currently hung over in 2024, had sealed his best season in MotoGP in 2020, second behind Spaniard Joan Mir, the world champion.

“The five weeks of rest helped me recover from my toe injury. I’ve had time to resume training after a week’s rest, and I’ve also had fun with family and friends,” said Quartararo, who like all other MotoGP riders will return to racing at the Silverstone circuit for the British Grand Prix after more than a month’s break. “I arrive in the UK in good shape, that’s important. I am looking forward to racing, especially because I will be able to see the fans again after such a long break.”