MotoGP, Rins: "We know we're far, but we don't have to panic"

Yamaha is something of a work-in-progress site, and their goal is to close the gap with the competition. Even if the start of the season in Qatar might have been below expectations,  no one has any intention of throwing in the towel before time, especially Alex Rins.

The rider from Spain is taking one tiny step at a time, with the intention of tailoring the M1 to his needs.

"I think we can progress here in Portimao," he said. "I know the bike better. I've ridden more kilometers, and the team also understands what I want. I think we're doing productive work, following the right direction. At the moment, as you all know, we're far from the top riders. Consequently, we need to take steps forward, especially with the race pace. What I can say is that Yamaha is working to allow us to have a bike that performs even better. Predictions for the weekend? We still don't know what level we'll be at. We'll find out tomorrow, hoping for a dry rather than a wet weekend."

On Monday, the riders of the Japanese constructor will be back on track again for a day of tests.
"On Monday, we'll be in action again, but I can't say more than that. I think it'll be an interesting day, because you can't test more than that on a race weekend, since there's never that much time available."

Obviously, the situation isn't easy, but Rins is looking for peace of mind.
"I don't think we have to panic. You have to have a clear head to work and figure out the problems. I think we'll have some new components to evaluate on Monday, on a prototype level, which we won't, however, be able to use in Austin. We're currently at a stage where we're trying to understand. In Qatar, we suffered a lot on the front, and we have to solve all these difficulties, trying to adapt the bike to my style."

Who knows. Maybe some help might come from the layout of the track.
"This track could probably help us. Unfortunately, when the track has little grip, we struggle. But, in corners, we're not that far behind the others. Then there's another aspect to emphasize, which is qualifying. If you qualify in a good position, you've made sixty percent of the race. If you don't mess up the start, you can then manage. The fact is that, by starting behind, you have to take advantage of the tires, and they wear out before the others, having to chase."