Álex Rins will have a factory contract and motorcycle, although next year he will ride for LCR Honda, the Japanese brand's satellite team.
The 26-year-old driver from Barcelona will seek to collaborate in the mission of reviving a team that is experiencing its worst results in more than four decades during the current campaign.
His incorporation was an open secret within the paddock, and he himself had already spoken on several occasions on the subject, valuing very positively the fact of being able to count on a first-rate mount.
“Ducati did not give me an official motorcycle and Honda did offer me that possibility.
It is an interesting project, because the bike is not doing very well in terms of results, so we will see what we can do”, explained the Barcelona rider from Assen, just before the MotoGP summer break.
The arrival of Rins covers the gap left in the structure of Lucio Cecchinello after the departure of Álex Márquez, who will ride for Ducati Gresini, the team that precisely rejected the Barcelona rider.
The change of manufacturer does not scare the Moto3 (2014) and Moto2 (2016) world runner-up, who since his arrival in the premier class has accumulated three victories, fifteen podiums and five fastest laps, all with Suzuki.
“Changing teams and bikes is a challenge, but I'm ready to give 100%.
The trust of Lucio and Honda in me has been crucial in making this decision, and I want to thank them for this opportunity, ”says the rider through a statement detailing that his contract will be for two seasons.
The shock of its current brand, which comes from making its abandonment of the competition official after surprising all its employees in May, has caused a strong shake in the pilot market for 2023. Rins solves another piece of the puzzle and it is expected that Joan Mir, 2020 world champion and his partner so far,
“I am delighted to announce that Álex Rins will race with the LCR team in 2023. Rins is an experienced rider, fast and one of those who regularly gets on the podium”, explained Cecchinello, director of the Monegasque team.
“The experience we have, hand in hand with his ability to transmit precise recommendations to the technicians, as I have heard, will help us take a step forward with our bike, allowing us to fight for more podiums”, he added.
It is still unknown who will be the Catalan's workshop partner, since Takaaki Nakagami's poor performance leaves many doubts about his continuity.
Despite the agreement reached, Rins acknowledged before leaving on vacation his resignation at the inability to transfer part of his trust structure from Suzuki to Honda, a move vetoed by his new brand.
Among the most prominent figures he has resigned from is his chief mechanic José Manuel Cazeaux, who will probably end up returning to the Maverick Viñales box if the information from the newspaper AS and Motorsport.com linking him to Aprilia is confirmed.
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