Yamaha’s top speed frustrates Alex Rins: “You can’t overtake anyone like this!”

The Dutch Grand Prix went somewhat better for Alex Rins than the Sprint, but the Yamaha factory rider did not leave Assen feeling entirely satisfied. After starting from 15th on the grid and finishing 15th in the Sprint, the Spaniard initially crossed the line in tenth place in the Grand Prix. Following the tyre pressure penalty imposed on Brad Binder , he was subsequently promoted to ninth place, making him the second-best Yamaha rider behind Fabio Quartararo, who finished eighth.

“It was really tough. It was really tough,” said Rins, summing up the 26-lap race, which started at 29°C. “Things went well at the start of the race. I could see Marc (Márquez) or Pecco (Bagnaia) ahead of me. I saw him entering Turn 16 as I was coming out of Turn 15. That made me happy. But later on, they pulled away. I kept up my race pace, but they got faster.”

The high temperatures also demanded everything from the riders. Whilst Rins described the heat at Assen as gruelling, he also pointed out that some overseas races, such as those in Thailand or Malaysia, are physically much tougher.

Yamaha M1 too slow: fighting with blunt weapons

From a sporting perspective, the Spaniard still believes the Yamaha is being held back primarily by its engine performance. “We had more or less the same problems as in the previous races. I tried to give it my all to keep up. At times I was faster than Binder, but his bike was super fast. That’s why I couldn’t set up an overtaking manoeuvre.”

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For Rins, the lack of top speed remains the M1’s biggest handicap. Even when he catches up with a slower rider, he regularly lacks the opportunity on the straights to successfully complete an attack or prepare a manoeuvre at the corner entry. The Yamaha rider spoke openly about this problem once again after the race.

At least there is some hope that sooner or later something new will come out of Japan. However, Rins was not yet able to provide any specific details. “They said we’d get something before the end of the year. But I don’t know when that will happen or who will get what,” explained the multiple MotoGP winner. “Of course, it’s frustrating having to race like this. I hope and think they realise that. They’re working to their limit, but perhaps they can push a bit harder.”

Willkommen zum Rennen in Assen

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Marc Márquez und Pecco Bagnaia

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Luca Marini

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Raul Fernandez

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Fabio Quartararo

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Start des Rennens

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Jorge Martin

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Marc Márquez und Fabio Di Giannantonio

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Brad Binder

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Pedro Acosta

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Enea Bastianini

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Raul Fernandez und Ai Ogura

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Alex Márquez

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Miller und Morbidelli

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Ai Ogura gewinnt das Rennen

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Sieger Ai Ogura

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Raul Fernandez, Ai Ogura und Team

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Raul Fernandez, Ai Ogura, Jorge Martin

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Assen-Sieger Ai Ogura

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Willkommen zum Rennen in Assen

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