Álex Rins wrote an article on Suzuki's blog in order to take stock of the last three overseas races. And the latter is obviously positive given his results: third, fifth and second.
“These three weeks have been intense and exciting. It was three weeks of flights, time differences, training, nights away from home, fatigue due to time changes… But we were able to progress. The GSX-RR performed very well and we can see the incredible work done by all the team members and the people at Hamamatsu. This work was rewarded with three podiums in three races and it is a great gift for Suzuki.
For my part, I couldn't be happier. I got two podiums, almost in a row, and that's very important at this time of the season. What's more, it was done at the iconic Motegi and Sepang tracks and is something we might not have thought possible at the start of the year. The team now has eight podium finishes in 2018 and this is among Suzuki's best results in recent decades. Personally, I have four podiums this season, so I am very happy.
We arrived in Japan with great enthusiasm (being at home always motivates the team even more). Riding in front of all the Japanese Suzuki engineers as well as President Toshihiro Suzuki is a big responsibility. Moreover, the latter came to encourage us on the grid. In the end, we managed to turn his words into action and return his affection with an excellent result. The Motegi podium was therefore very special.
The Australian Grand Prix, however, did not go as we hoped. I love the Phillip Island track and we worked throughout the weekend to find good setups for the race. We fought but ultimately I didn't manage to get on the podium.
We then arrived in Malaysia. Sepang is another circuit that I love and everyone in MotoGP knows it well because we often do tests here. We are therefore very close in terms of times and each session is very competitive. The race was tough, it was really hot. At the beginning I had to fight to overtake some riders because I was a little behind, but then I was able to find a good rhythm and start to climb back up. To be able to finish second was extraordinary, so we celebrated it as a victory with the team when I returned to the box.
Now we have to face the last race, in Valencia. It's a very special Grand Prix because it always closes the Championship, and it's also a home race for me. The Ricardo Tormo Circuit is unique. It's compact, almost like a stadium, and fans have an excellent view. We always feel their presence near us.
And finally, in a flash, the fireworks will announce the start of a new season..."
