Winner here in 2022, Alex Rins has fond memories of Australia. However, his situation illustrates how quickly our environment is changing.. Since 2022, the Spaniard has moved to Honda LCR, then signed with Yamaha as an official rider. Also, he has not been spared from injuries, which, at the time of writing, still handicap him. However, against all odds, he managed to qualify directly in Q2, on a circuit that is known to succeed with the YZR-M1. However, his teammate Fabio Quartararo did not manage to do the same.
Alex Rins was quite happy at the end of this first day full of twists and turns, but could not hide the usual problems of his mount from the journalists of GP One. « It's important to get straight into Q2, it gives you a big lead.. The first laps are tricky in MotoGP, so that helps. The problems with the M1? Always the same. When there is little grip, it becomes very heavy. It requires more physically, it's very complicated. » he asserted.
Out and about on the Phillip Island track with @Rins42, preparing for the Australian GP 🚴♂️#MonsterYamaha | #MotoGP | #AustralianGP pic.twitter.com/uSx8tRfIuy
- Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (@YamahaMotoGP) October 17, 2024
With Yamaha set to switch to V4, the Spaniard can't help but recall that exceptional victory in 2022, riding the Suzuki GSX-RR. "Today, the bike is very different. My years there don't help me" he continued. Even if the machine was not the same, Suzuki was the perfect example that the inline four-cylinder represented a powerful solution. The engine is surely not the only source of trouble at Yamaha.
Tyres are a big question mark at Phillip Island, as they have been every year since at least 2013. He has only tried one type of rubber so far. « I only spent the tender ones. Tomorrow I will see how the medium behaves in the back. Marquez and Bezzecchi were quick with this compound » he concluded.
Do you think Alex Rins is capable of getting back on track on this track, where he won the big prize only two years ago? Tell us in the comments!
2024 Australian Grand Prix Practice Result:
Classification credit: MotoGP.com
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport
