“Yes, I am surprised that HRC signed Mir”

After a great start to the season, which included a brilliant weekend in Austin where he finished second in the sprint race and won the feature race the following day, alex rinses he seems to have adapted quickly to HRC’s difficult RCV. But with the arrival of World to Europethat positive beginning was neutralized by two bad ones GGPP in Spain and Francewhere he qualified 18th in practice and did not finish either of Sunday’s two races.

Despite this, Alex’s numbers show a Rins in what is his best moment since he was in MotoGP. Let’s not forget that he ended 2022 by winning two of the last three Grands Prix.

Do you feel right now is the best moment of your career?

Nope. We are in good shape. I am performing very well, but I would like to have more regularity. It’s normal that it’s a bit difficult for us because it’s a different bike, everything is different, but we’re getting there step by step.

Every circuit is new for you because riding a Honda doesn’t feel like riding a Suzuki.

Exactly. It is completely different. We have to get used to riding this bike, finding the limit in each circuit, especially in the new format. Right now the P1, P2, FP3 program is not easy.

Considering your superb finish last season, do you think you deserve your place in the official team more than Mir?

Yes, I was a little surprised. I’m a little surprised that Joan was taken, but I’m sure they’ll have explanations as to why. I didn’t ask anymore. In the end, we talked quite a bit, but they chose Joan more. I don’t want to say that they made a good or bad choice.

Maybe it’s better for you when you see the choice made by Alberto Puig with Lorenzo, Pol, Alex… The riders he chose for the HRC team had a lot of trouble, so maybe it suits you better.

I talk to Alberto a lot, he helps me.

How?

He gives me advice. He tells me some things that I really appreciate because, after all, Alberto has a lot of experience. He’s worked with a lot of drivers, like you said, a lot of great drivers.

This is the first time you ride for an independent team since you came to MotoGP. What is the difference between being on this type of team and being on a factory team?

Certainly every time I enter the box less people will listen to my comments. This is the main difference. The other is that whenever news or new pieces come out, I try them out. Now we have more riders and it seems that some of these parts go to the Repsol Team, others to me or Taka. Maybe it’s because they don’t have much stock of new parts.

Regarding the team environment, what is the difference between being in a factory team and being in a team like Luccio?

It is very similar. Right now, I’m very confident in my team. When I arrived they welcomed me. They are very happy to work with me and I am very happy to work with them. So I think we’re doing great.

Davide Brivio, the father of Team Suzuki, created a factory team that creates a family atmosphere, and then Livio Suppo kept the same. So working in such an environment is not a big change for you?

Davide is trying to create a family team at Suzuki, but not many people from the former Suzuki team are talking to me at the moment.

Do you mean because they are somewhere else or because they are no longer here in the paddock?

I do not know.

But are you talking about people already?

I’m talking about people already.

Do you feel the lack of support from Honda?

Yes. At first, I felt like they weren’t giving us much to try. But now, the support is good. This is enough. Like I said earlier, they don’t have enough pieces for me.

But the fact that you won in Texas, does it change the relationship with Honda and the support you will receive?

Is not the same.

Tell me that Alberto is helping you, he’s giving you some advice, so that means there’s the link.

Yes. Alberto was pushing them to give me things and give me new things to try, but in the end, Honda had the last word.

So the fact that Kawauchi joined Honda makes no difference? Because you work for him.

Nothing changed. He can give some advice from experience, some information, but not much.

Doesn’t it help that you’ve worked with him in the past?

Nope. I mean, it’s not the fact that it helps me or it doesn’t help me. It’s the fact that it’s also new here at Honda. He brings experience, but it’s not like he’s going to give me things to try because I was with him last year.

What’s it like driving a V4 after driving an inline four for four years?

The throttle linkage is a little different, the way the bike turns. On some tracks I can find more of my driving style, but on others it’s a bit more difficult.

What is the main problem with the bike, in your opinion? What do you miss about the bike?

For me, the main problem now is the aerodynamic part, because we have a lot of wheelie and we don’t have enough front support or good traction to lift the bike.

But in the end, after just three races you won in Austin. Was it a big surprise or just a combination of Honda doing well on that circuit and also one of your favorite tracks?

It was a big surprise. I didn’t expect to get that win last weekend. But like you said, it’s a track that I love and it’s a track that we’ve been working on quite a bit.

WhatDo you think the fact that Marc’s style is so extreme in his riding, pushed Honda’s development in a radical way, making the bike harder?

This bike is not that difficult. It’s not that easy, but I expected it to be a little difficult to ride and not that big.

His predecessor at the team, Pol Espargaró, explained that he lost confidence at the front early on. That’s why last year he fell many times. Something that doesn’t seem to have happened to you.

I have never felt it. Nope.

Do you talk to Joan often?

Not many… It’s not that I don’t like him. We are just busy here. We have different hospitality and we don’t see each other much.

This championship seems very unpredictable. Do you think this is related to the new format?

Yes, it could be because of this new format; It could be because motorcycles are more equal. Hard to say.

How do you see your future?

This year is a new chapter in my life: racing for an independent team, experimenting as another type of support… I am very focused on the present. To be honest, right now I don’t think much about the future.

Isn’t being in a factory team an obsession like some drivers?

Nope. I’d like to be in a factory team, of course, but right now I’m not thinking too much about that.

Do you think it is possible to become world champion in an independent team?

Yes. And why not?