MotoGP | Rins surrenders to pain: he won’t race at Silverstone

Alex Rins’ ordeal seems to have no end: after a troubled 2023 due to the leg injury that kept him out of action for many races, 2024 is continuing to put him to the test. The Spanish rider will follow the British Grand Prix as a spectator due to the severe pain in his hand that was operated on after the Assen race and that gives him no respite.

In Holland, the Yamaha rider fractured his right hand and underwent surgery on July 1, with a double operation on his hand in the morning and his leg in the afternoon. The Spaniard’s problems are caused by nails inserted into his hand during the operation, but one of the problems is also the lack of consolidation of the leg bone.

Doctors had advised Rins not to return to Silverstone, but the rider’s spirit prevailed and he decided to give it a try. The Yamaha rider took to the track on Friday at the British Grand Prix, but a fall at the end of the afternoon session only worsened the pain in his hand, which became so unbearable that he decided to stop. He will be replaced by Remy Gardner, already present at Silverstone as a wild card as a replacement for the test rider Cal Crutchlow, who was also injured. However, the Australian will continue to be a member of the Yamaha test team and will move to Rins’ garage for logistical reasons, as explained by the team.

“After assessing my health with my doctors, we have come to the conclusion that the most responsible thing for me is to miss the remainder of the British GP,” explains Alex Rins. “As you can imagine, I feel sorry for the team and for myself. Every single lap we have done this season has been useful in developing the bike and closing the gap to the other manufacturers. But the pain I am feeling and the risk of a more serious injury, together with the advice of the doctor, have made me take this decision. I hope to be back on track and working again very soon. Thank you all for your support.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Team Director, said: “First of all, I would like to express my disappointment for Álex. Riders are always disappointed when they cannot race, but perhaps this is even more frustrating for him, because the British GP is a very special event. It is important for Monster Energy, who sponsor this race, and also for Dorna, who are organising the 75th anniversary celebrations of MotoGP. Also, Álex really likes Silverstone and has achieved some great results here, so it is certainly a disappointment. However, his health and wellbeing must take priority. We have therefore decided that it was not worth it for him to continue the British GP race weekend and we hope to have him back in Austria in better condition. From tomorrow, Remy will be operating from the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP garage. However, Remy will continue to ride for the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team for the remainder of the British GP weekend.”