Alex Rins and Suzuki likely to continue in 2023

Suzuki has expressed a wish to keep Rins in MotoGP in 2023.

There have been no conversations about a new MotoGP contract with Suzuki, according to Alex Rins, although the team has stated its wish to keep him beyond 2022.

Rins was recruited from Moto2 in 2017 to join Suzuki as the brand’s newest hotshot rookie, following the success of Maverick Vinales when Suzuki brought him out of the sport two years earlier.

Apart from championship leader Enea Bastianini, Rins is the only other rider to have finished on the podium twice in 2022, with the Suzuki rider placing third in Argentina and second last time out in America to give the Japanese marque its 500th grand prix rostrum.

The two Suzuki seats for 2023 are up for grabs, with paddock rumours tying reigning world champion Fabio Quartararo to a possible switch to the Japanese manufacturer.

Rins, on the other hand, has been emboldened by Suzuki’s forthright comments about his future as the contract nonsense season heats up.

“Well, we didn’t start talking for the next years,” Rins, who is currently second in the standings, remarked regarding his Suzuki future on Thursday, ahead of this weekend’s Portuguese Grand Prix.

“However, Livio [Suppo, team boss] and the Japanese guys indicate to me that they want to continue, which I believe keeps me calm.”

“As a result, I’m more relaxed and can ride more effectively than if I don’t have anything planned for the coming year.” Let’s see what happens. My management will begin talking about future races in the coming years.”

Joan Mir, Rins’s world champion teammate, indicated in the pre-season that his top objective was to stay with Suzuki beyond 2022, having been encouraged by the team’s progress with the GSX-RR following a difficult 2021.

Quartararo’s manager claimed over the Austin weekend that rival teams have showed interest in the Yamaha rider.