Alex Rins: 9th ‘like a podium’, ‘couldn’t stand’ after the race

After the high of Texas, Rins failed to finish the following grands prix races in Jerez and Le Mans before disaster struck in the form of fractures to his right tibia and fibula in the Mugello Sprint.

Surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation followed, complicated by nerve pain, before Rins made an attempted return at Motegi, late last month.

That had to be abandoned due to the pain, but Rins went the distance in the scorching heat of Mandalika, riding from 21st and last to 16th in the Sprint and then 9th in the full-length GP.

“I’m done!” said Rins. “I struggled to finish the race, because after 13-14 laps [of 27] I started to feel heavy pain, but at least I was able to hold the pace, ‘32 low. So I'm quite happy for this.

“During the race I was focussed on trying to stay on the pace, on the line. Then after the chequered flag [the fatigue hit me].

“When I got back to the box, I was chatting with the team, then I couldn’t stand down from the bike! The pectoral, all the muscles [are gone]... I have arm pump right now. Many, many things!”

With Repsol Honda riders Marc Marquez and Joan Mir crashing out, and team-mate Takaaki Nakagami eleventh after gambling on the soft rear tyre, Rins was the first RC213V over the line.

“We fought really hard all these months without racing, at home with the physical therapies, in the gym. So for me today we achieved more than a P9.

“For me, it was like a podium. We struggled a lot, many days in the hospital. So to achieve this is a really, really great result. First Honda. We stayed on the bike, with all these hot conditions and the slippery track. I'm super happy!”

Rins, switching to Monster Yamaha next season, starts the remaining five rounds ten points behind the top Honda of Marc Marquez, who is 16th in the standings.