Alex Rins off the MotoGP grid: his future could be in Superbike

The Yamaha rider will have to say goodbye to the premier class of the World Championship and does not rule out a move to production-derived series: will he find a good seat?

The MotoGP grid is practically set for 2027 and does not include Alex Rins, whose contract was not renewed by Yamaha. There have been no other offers allowing him to continue racing in the top class, so the 30-year-old Spaniard is forced to consider other options for his future.

The three years on the M1 have been very difficult. He signed for the Iwata manufacturer at the worst time. As a rider who had been able to fight for podiums and wins in his Suzuki days, he found himself struggling to break into the top 10. The fact that he hasn’t achieved results for multiple seasons has inevitably complicated his future plans.

Rins is now aware he no longer has the chance to be a full-time MotoGP rider; on one hand he’s disappointed, and on the other he has to accept reality: "It’s tough to handle - he told AS - because apparently I won’t have a team for next year. There are no seats available, so we’ll try to finish in the best way possible. My time in MotoGP has been very positive. It’s true that it’s a shame to end like this, with the results we’re getting, but all I can do is try to enjoy these last races as much as possible."

Injuries haven’t helped the Catalan rider’s career either, particularly the serious one he suffered at Mugello in 2023 when he was riding the LCR Honda. He went through a lot, but managed to get back on his feet and, despite years without the hoped-for results, he still has a strong desire to compete: "The truth is that, when you feel strong on a personal level, and with what I’ve been through, it’s quite difficult to have to take a step back and sit still without racing. We did everything possible to be here; it wasn’t possible. We’ll try to find something in SBK so I’m not just at home doing nothing."

Making the jump to the Superbike World Championship is an option, but the current Yamaha rider is also ready to consider other championships: "And if it doesn’t work out, if nothing happens, then I’ll have to find something that really motivates me, whether that’s becoming a test rider, switching to rally cars, or racing bicycles. The only thing I want to find is something that motivates me, because we have suffered a lot for three years, without any reward, training a lot in silence."

Between July and August there will be many decisions to make in the Superbike paddock. Obviously, the most coveted seat is the one Nicolò Bulega will leave vacant in the factory Aruba Ducati team. It appeals to Rins as well, but it seems it could go to Franco Morbidelli.

There could also be room at BMW, which did not exercise its options to renew the contracts of Miguel Oliveira and Danilo Petrucci. At Yamaha, Xavi Vierge has a contract expiring at the end of 2026, while the Kawasaki team could field two Ninja ZX-10RRs in 2027, and Manuel Puccetti will also consider riders leaving MotoGP. There’s also Honda, which could change at least one rider, if not both, though it’s a big gamble to get on what is currently the worst bike on the SBK grid.

As for private teams, it remains to be seen what will happen between the Barni Spark Racing Team and Alvaro Bautista, given that the Spaniard is nearing 42 and is not delivering the results that he and Marco Barnabò (HERE our interview) hoped for. In the event of a split, Petrucci’s return cannot be ruled out. Overall, there could be some opportunities for Rins in the production-derived championship. But you have to be quick and smart to secure the best possible seat.