Alex Rins: "They found a little crack in my wrist"

While Fabio Quartararo celebrated a brilliant pole position, Monster Yamaha team-mate Alex Rins was left last on the grid during a punishing Saturday at the Spanish MotoGP.

The Spaniard was caught out twice during the morning practice session. The first was a harmless hairpin spill, but the second came at the ultra fast Turn 4.

Franco Morbidelli had earlier brought out red flags to repair an airfence at the same corner, while Rins required checks at the Medical Center.

The Spaniard was declared fit to continue but later revealed doctors had discovered a small crack in his wrist, alongside a painful knee distortion, after the violent impact.

"It was a big crash this morning," said Rins. "I lost the front at high speed and went into the air fence, hitting the wall. For a crash at that speed, I'm more or less OK. But they found a little crack in my wrist and the knee was very painful."

Rins returned to the track just minutes before Q1 ended, completing a single fast lap for 23rd on the grid.

Riding in discomfort and with an ill-suited set-up during the 12-lap Sprint, Rins benefited from three retirements ahead - including Quartararo - as he climbed to 15th place.

"I did the Sprint just to see what my condition is like," he explained. "For sure I'm destroyed now - after a really big crash, all the muscles start to be painful.

“But it was important because we tried a different setup this morning, and I understood it is not the line to follow. We are a bit far from Fabio, so we need to keep working."

Team director Massimo Meregalli praised Rins' bravery under the circumstances.

"Mentally and physically, that's a tough situation for a rider to be in, but Alex did well in the Sprint. He gradually regained confidence and made some good overtakes, which will help for Sunday’s long race."

Quartararo led the opening lap of the race but crashed while being overtaken by Marc Marquez on lap two.