Job done for Alex Rins who pulls out due to pain but explains why he’s “happy”
The LCR Honda rider was making a long-awaited comeback after breaking his leg at Mugello - he missed seven full rounds.
His return at Motegi saw him complete Friday practice - he was the slowest rider on the track - before being declared unfit.
Rins said about his call to withdraw: “It was an easy decision because, when we took the plane to come here, I already knew that if I felt a lot of pain I would stop.
“That’s what I spoke about to the doctors.
“In FP1 the sensation was good. With three months off a MotoGP bike, it was a bit different.
“But the body respected the pain, so it was not that painful.
“But lap-by-lap it was increasing, this pain in my leg.”
But the returning Honda rider knows that Friday in Japan was a success because it represents a major step towards racing again.
“I’m happy because we completed a good test with my body and with the bike. So let’s continue with the recovery,” he said.
“It was big news to jump back on a MotoGP bike after many days at home, without this feeling.
“I’m happy for this. Now we have two more weeks to recover. Let’s see how it goes.
“I hope to improve a little bit, we have two weeks to improve, to keep following the same in terms of recovery.”
Rins’ situation is complicated because, while being sidelined with a broken leg, it was confirmed that he will leave LCR Honda for Yamaha in 2024.
