De Jesus Sanchez Santos / Motosan.es
The end of winter without motorcycles is approaching. With pre-season just around the corner, at Motosan we were able to speak to one of the most important riders in MotoGP, Álex Rins.
Fourth in the standings last season and leader of an official brand such as Suzuki, Álex Rins approaches his fourth season in the premier category with the challenge of taking a step forward. He does not set specific numerical goals, but only seeks to continue improving on what he has achieved in previous seasons. If he succeeds, he will at least be in the Top 3 by the end of 2020.
The first thing is to take stock of 2019. You moved up one place in the final standings to be fourth, with two very impressive victories over Rossi in Austin and Márquez at Silverstone.
“It was a very good season. If we thought about one goal at the start of the season, it was to get at least one victory, which is what we hoped for in 2018. This year 2019, we managed to win in Austin and repeat at Silverstone. But we also had some good races, and I think the growth was what we expected. We are happy. »
Do you know that you are the driver who has moved up the most places in the race this season? A strange circumstance when you are fighting for victories and podiums. This describes your Sundays very well, but not so well your Saturdays.
“Yes, we can still improve in terms of qualifying. We made some strategic changes during the season, which paid off. During the race it's a little less complicated and we can show the work from Friday and Saturday. This season we will be a little more ambitious to get a good position on the starting grid so as not to be forced to move up, as we did a few times last season. »
What are the strong point and the weak point de the Suzuki?
» The Suzuki is a bike that works very well, in general, the whole thing is very good. I can't tell you one thing in particular that we're good at. I think our strength has been the way the team and I have been able to adapt to the bike we have, and try to get the most out of it regardless of the circumstances of the weekend and the characteristics of the track. . »
What do you think is the aspect of your driving that you should improve to progress compared to your rivals?
“I am still very young as a driver. I mean, I feel like I still have a long way to go. Every day I learn new things, and this is a category that requires constant work to improve if you want to fight for victory. That's our goal and that's what we do. »
Once you try the 2020 bike, do you think it will help you fight for the title regularly?
“You see, for Suzuki it will be the sixth year, and let's say that the initial gap compared to other brands that have been in MotoGP for many years has narrowed. How this will evolve in 2020, it's too early to tell, but I know Suzuki is doing a great job, and we in the team are ready to make the most of what we have. It will be the competition that will tell us what situation we are in, but for the moment it is too early to make calculations. »
During the races where you faced Honda and Ducati riders, we saw you suffer and sometimes force a lot when overtaking. What's the difference between your battles with these riders and a close battle with a Yamaha?
“Every close combat is different based on many points. The circuit, the driver, the time at which the race takes place. Our bike has strengths and weaknesses, and in the end it's about trying to make the most of our strengths and handling the most difficult places as best as possible. »
Would you like Suzuki to have a satellite team soon so that there are four bikes on the track like yours?
" It does not depend on me. Suzuki is working on it and I hope they make the right decision. »
Sheene or Schwantz are two legendary names of the brand that bet on you in MotoGP. Do you want to become a legend at Suzuki or are you open to offers now that the market is opening?
« Bien sûr, j’aimerais devenir une légende comme Sheene ou Schwantz. Chez Suzuki, je suis ravi, car leur objectif est de gagner, tout comme le mien, et c’est ce à quoi nous travaillons. On ne sait jamais ce que l’avenir nous réserve, surtout en matière de concurrence. Mais aujourd’hui, je suis là où je veux être”.
Do you think Joan Mir can give you a hard time this season? He experienced a first rookie season similar to the one you experienced in 2017, with injuries.
“Faire ses débuts en MotoGP n’est jamais facile si vous êtes blessé. J’en ai souffert, et j’en ai aussi tiré des enseignements. Joan est très talentueux et je suis sûr qu’avec le travail, il sera là où il doit être. »
You came close to glory in Moto3 and Moto2, with two vice-champion places. Do you feel like you've missed out on anything or do you think the most important thing is to be a top rider in MotoGP?
“I think I prepared well to get to MotoGP, where things get really serious. For me, there is no category like MotoGP. I feel like I made the right decisions. »
Nous constatons toujours que, lorsque le mois de novembre arrive, vous rejoignez le mouvement “Movember”. Quelle motivation vous a poussé à faire cela ?
“Well, this is an initiative I can relate to. As part of the team, I thought about doing something for Movember and since then I haven't missed a year. We had the opportunity to meet people from the organization and it was an experience that taught me a lot. »
How are you preparing for the 2020 season and what is your goal?
“Well, as always, training to be as prepared as possible for the first tests. I'm really looking forward to getting back on my Suzuki. The objective will be similar to that of each year: to improve our performances from the previous season. We will try to make this improvement to be as strong as possible. »
Read the original article on Motosan.es
