Nakagami on Rins to Yamaha: ‘Blue definitely his favourite colour!’

“I didn't get any advance news,” said Nakagami at the British MotoGP.

“He has been many years in blue colours [at Suzuki], and he is going back to blue colours again. I think definitely it's his favourite colour!” Joked the Japanese.

Although Rins has only completed five rounds at LCR, he provided Honda’s standout moment of the season so far with a shock victory at COTA. It was also LCR’s first win, or podium, since Cal Crutchlow in 2018.

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“He [Rins] has good potential. Unfortunately, he had an injury, but he won the race in Austin. He definitely made an amazing job so far this season, apart from his injury,” said Nakagami.

“Of course, it's not the best feeling [for me], only a few races and then the news my team-mate decided to leave Honda. But this is life, he already decided. I can just say I wish him to recover well and I hope he can race again as soon as possible.”

It’s still not clear when Rins, who remains the highest-placed Honda rider (14th) in the world championship, will be fit to rejoin Nakagami and continue their lone LCR season as team-mates.

Meanwhile, Rins’ decision certainly won’t harm Nakagami’s chances of extending his Honda contract for 2024.

“I'm happy with Honda. Of course, the situation is not the best. We are struggling, all the [Honda] riders. But it's not the first time for me and I just try to do my job with my team, with HRC,” Nakagami said.

“HRC is not going to give up. If I see HRC say this is the limit and they are not working, then I need to think about my future, but I can say they are working really really hard.

“So I believe that we will be back on top. They are working really hard.”

Nakagami was the first rider to debut Honda’s new high-downforce fairing update at Silverstone, which he suggested could be fitted to both of his machines for the Red Bull Ring this weekend.