This is the new name of a transfer market which has already sold its flagship products. Alex Rins is the one and he has no intention of being traded at a discount. The 20-year-old driver has certain talent, but no world title in his pocket yet. At 20, he is eyeing a MotoGP that catches his eye, but its conditions remain demanding. The current Sito Pons rider wants a factory handlebar from the start and for a period of two years. Which seriously reduces opportunities.
Because places are now rare among the elite. And even more within factories. In fact, there is only one that still has a vacant spot: Suzuki. There is also a Yamaha available from Tech3, except that here we are with private owners. SO ? Kidneys, in orbit around the planet Suzuki or orbited by the Gauls of Hervé Poncharal? A dilemma which could end with a third season in Moto2!
For what ? Because Suzuki would like to retain the Spaniard for four years. Not less. A two-year contract with two years of option. Which is understandable from the point of view of a Hamamatsu factory which revealed for Yamaha the talent of Maverick Vinales. The latter had a two-year contract plus an optional year. We saw the result : " we no longer want to invest again in a hope and train him for two years » clearly declared Davide Brivio on Speedweek. “ That's what we did with Viñales and then we lost him ". A position all the easier to assume as Suzuki has already recruited Iannone and makes one wait Aleix Espargaro still fast and still solid.
Kidneys is therefore not in a strong position to force Suzuki to bend. And Yamaha? On Iwata's side, the room for maneuver is even more limited. Red will only leave in two years and Casa Particular in Viñales signed for two seasons. Remains Tech3, but Kidneys only think about an official team. Lin Jarvis specifies: “ we never approached Alex Rins to be Valentino Rossi's teammate and we never considered him for this position. It would be a daring bet for a team fighting for the world title. Alex Rins made it clear he was only thinking of a factory handlebar ».
That's Yamaha's door double-shut. There remains the Tech3 service entry: “ the motorcycles that are at Tech3 are very close to the official M1s. If he decided to go to Tech3, he would be more than welcome. Because he is a talent in the making. But I don't know anything about his intentions. Maybe he'll find his factory bike in 2017, maybe he'll shine next year in MotoGP, maybe he'll wait. I do not know ».
So no one knows anything and no more people are ready to comply with his conditions. Alex Rins seems to have gotten himself into a rut by formulating demands that make him come across as presumptuous. As a result, he could well end up with nothing. An idea that germinates in the pilot’s entourage: “ at 20, he can still do a third season in Moto2 » his father recently declared at Mugello.
