Alex Rins's desperate cry: "I'm knocking on every door

The MotoGP rider market continues to weave negotiations and signatures, as we wait for the manufacturers to give the green light for official announcements. Few seats remain available and, inevitably, there will be those left out. Among them is Alex Rins, who will contest his 150th Grand Prix in the premier class at Le Mans.

Ten seasons at the highest level, six victories (five with Suzuki and one with Honda), and third place in the 2020 MotoGP season as his best final result. But after moving to Yamaha in 2024, Alex Rins’ professional path has become complicated, managing to crack the top 10 only three times and never reach the podium. The truth is that the relationship between the Spanish rider and the Iwata manufacturer has not been as idyllic as expected when the contract was signed. The bike isn’t delivering, the results aren’t coming and, to make matters worse, leaks have surfaced about who will take his place in 2027: Ai Ogura.

Right now Alex finds himself in a very precarious situation, without a MotoGP contract for next year. And it’s highly likely he will struggle to find a spot on the starting grid. Despite the problems, he’s trying to focus on the positive aspects of his career. "It makes me happy. We came here to celebrate our 150th Grand Prix, and that’s a number to keep in mind... I’m satisfied with what I’ve done."

You can’t live on the past alone—you have to look ahead, and at the moment MotoGP’s doors seem closed to Alex Rins. There’s been no meeting with Yamaha to explain future plans; he learned from the media about Ogura being signed for 2027. "I found out like you did, through the press. I’m angry because it doesn’t put me in a good position at all." At that point, the 30-year-old Catalan rider contacted the team’s top brass to learn the truth. "I called Meregalli and asked him about the situation. He stayed silent. I pressed him: ‘Maio?’ And he simply told me that, given our relationship, he could only say that Yamaha had signed the second rider... To be honest, it really bothered me."

Alex Rins and his staff are looking for a free seat for the next MotoGP season, but it’s anything but easy. Trackhouse, Aprilia’s satellite team, is rumored as a concrete possibility, but there are other options too. "We didn’t just knock on Trackhouse’s door; we knocked on all the doors to see what was possible, what was feasible," admitted number 42. He knows his experience can prove useful, especially having won races with such different manufacturers as Suzuki and Honda.

However, the competition is fierce; MotoGP demands performance and victories—elements that have been lacking in Alex Rins’ résumé in recent years. "In Jerez, my agent met with several teams and, to this day, the situation is the same." Seats are few and time is running out... "I don’t know how things are going for the other riders, but I know there are also riders without a team, like Maverick (Vinales) and Joan Mir."

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