Spanish rider Alex Rins, new to Yamaha, has expressed his frustration with the M1's recurring braking problems. Despite Yamaha's apologies, Rins believes the Japanese brand still has work to do to provide him with a competitive bike.
Alex Rinssix-time MotoGP winner, revealed that his team Yamaha apologized after the 2024 Solidarity Grand Prix in Barcelona. This statement follows a trying season where the driver struggled with
recurring braking problems on his M1, finishing in 18th place in the standings with only 31 points.
« After what was, if not the worst, at least one of the worst races of my lifeI spoke with Max Bartolini and Massimo Meregalli. They apologized for not being able to resolve this issue », confided
Rins on crash.net. He describes his main obstacle: the lack of rear contact when braking. “ All season,
I struggled to get back contact. When you don't have that, the bike doesn't brake, you miss your lines, or worse, you overheat and destroy the front tire.. »
Alex Rins :
« the bike is aggressive, it moves a lot. We need to adjust the electronics »
During post-season testing in Barcelona,
Yamaha presented several new features, including a new engine and an improved chassis. “ With this new chassis, I could maintain more speed mid-corner. It was a small improvement, but not enough on braking », explained Rins.
On the other hand, the new engine, although more powerful, still proves unsuitable for his driving style. “ The bike is aggressive, it moves a lot. We need to adjust the electronics, but we didn't have enough time to work on it. »
Despite these limitations, Rins remain confident. “
With the things we are going to test, it will not be a revolution, but a small step of 5 to 10%. » The factory Yamaha nevertheless seems determined to transform this modest progress into real progress for 2025, thus strengthening the hope of a more competitive season.