Third season with Yamaha Factory Racing, tenth in MotoGP, and undoubtedly the most strategic of his career: Alex Rins approaches 2026 with a different perspective. More clear-sighted. More patient. But still ambitious.
Just three years ago, its trajectory seemed to be collapsing. The abrupt closure of Suzuki The end of 2022 disrupted the balance of the paddock and forced the Barcelona-based team to reposition itself in a saturated market, where factory seats are worth their weight in gold. Hamamatsu's departure didn't just change his team; it forced him to reinvent himself.
His time at Honda LCR 2023 remains one of the most contrasting chapters of his career. On one hand, an unexpected high point: the victory at Austin, wrested against all odds in a context where Honda struggled to exist. An almost unreal feat.
Then Mugello. The crash. The serious fracture of the tibia and fibula. A devastating injury that kept him off the circuits for months and required several operations.
Even when hospitalized, Kidneys He didn't wait. He secured his future by signing with Yamaha for 2024, already anticipating reconstruction.
His first season with the M1 was anything but a fireworks display. First, he had to recover physically, then understand a bike in the midst of an identity crisis. The result: 18th in the championship, with an 8th place in... Malaysia as a better signal.
More Kidneys 2024 was never considered an end in itself. It was a project. A necessary step.
Today, his physical problems are behind him, his last operation having taken place at the end of 2024, and his contract runs until the end of this season. The context has changed: Yamaha has switched to the V4, and the Spaniard is finally entering a phase where he can aim higher than simple reconstruction.
Alex Rins: “ The situation was difficult at Honda because they did not keep their promises. »
Looking back, some still ask him if he regrets not having joined Ducati at the time, especially seeing the successes of the brothers MarquezHis answer was clear, almost curt:
« I don't regret it, because it's too late.Joining Ducati seems like an easy decision, but that's because satellite teams are no longer independent these days. »
At the time, he was primarily seeking factory status, not an opportunistic shortcut.
« Since Suzuki left, managing all of this has become complicated, especially in terms of performance. At the time, we had a choice between Gresini and LCR Hondaand I opted for the latter because they offered me the same treatment as a factory driver »
He emphasizes a fundamental point: technical support.
« At Honda, I was offered the same conditions as Marc Marquez and Joan Mir. At Gresini, I didn't have that option; the contact with the team was direct, unlike today. It wasn't about money, but about the project and the factory's support. »
In his view, the choice was consistent. Even if the promises were not kept.
Kidneys knew that Honda tHe was going through a storm. He expected difficulties, but he thought improvements would come gradually.
« I had the same equipment as the factory team, and the bike upgrades were supposed to come gradually. We won in Austin, but the situation was difficult at Honda because they didn't keep their promises. »
During this season there was also a serious fracture of the tibia and fibula. Kidneys confirms his complete recovery, while acknowledging that the process was long and painful: My injury in 2023 at the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello was one of the worst I have ever suffered. My shinbone disintegrated; it exploded into a thousand pieces.. It wasn't a clean fracture. I was in terrible pain.. Now, I only feel the injury when there are changes in temperature or humidity. I am completely healed. »
That's when the opportunity arose Yamaha . " A year later, the opportunity arose with the Yamaha factory team. I knew the motorcycle wasn't designed to winBut we took up the challenge of making her a champion. »
This sentence about lesportiudecatalunya.cat sums it all up: Kidneys He didn't look for the easiest solution. He chose the challenge.
So far, trophies have been few and far between. He readily admits it: We were unable to achieve good results or reach the podium.." Then he adds: " Fabio Quartararo is a fantastic rider, without a doubt.He managed to raise Yamaha's level to a level that neither Jack Miller, nor Miguel Oliveira, nor I myself could reach. But without wanting to diminish his talent, the bike is his creation. He has been with Yamaha for seven seasons. He knows it better than we do, and he has adapted it year after year to his own strengths. »
But 2026 changes everything. The V4 represents a major strategic shift for Yamaha , and for Alex KidneysThis may be the first time since Suzuki that he feels a project is aligned with his style and ambitions.
The difference this time is that he's not starting from scratch. He knows the team. He knows the mistakes to avoid. He knows the value of genuine support... and the value of empty promises.
After the chaos, the injury, the illusions, and the rebuilding, Alex Kidneys he enters a season where he is no longer just trying to survive: he wants to become a key factor in the project again: I think Yamaha's change of approach this year is linked to the new 2027 regulations, in order to start next season with a solid foundation and not have to start from scratch. For my part, I will give my best on the track to maximize my chances of success. My goal is to renew my contract with Yamaha for the next two seasons.But I don't know what their plans are… I'll have to make my decision based on their announcements. Some drivers seem to be in a hurry, and time is flying. ».
