Alex Rins: “So angry at Marc Marquez, destroyed my race - then I saw the images”

After the “unbelievable” high of putting his Yamaha fourth on the grid in qualifying, Alex Rins’ Indonesian MotoGP Sprint hopes ended with contact from Marc Marquez on the opening lap.

Rins was holding fifth when Marquez outbraked himself into Turn 10 and hit the side of the Yamaha rider, sending Rins off track and down to last place.

“I was so angry with Marc because he destroyed my race," said Rins.

"But then, looking at the images afterwards, he didn't have enough [downforce] to stop the bike with Marini in front of him. 

"One time, it can happen to me. One time, it can happen to him. This is racing."

Marquez, who received a long lap penalty for the incident, swiftly apologised.

“I already said sorry to Alex. I couldn’t control in that first hard brake point. I started to slide the rear, plus the slipstream of the riders in front,” Marquez said.

“Both of us were a bit wide, but I was inside and couldn’t stop. I touched him, he went in the runoff area, and when you do that [to another rider], you need to receive a penalty.”

Rins went on to finish in twelfth place, after a post-race penalty for Luca Marini.

Rins explains Mandalika speed

Nonetheless, the Sprint disappointment couldn’t erase Rins' joy at his earlier qualifying performance.

“Unbelievable!” Rins smiled. “I'm super happy because it was a really long time that I couldn't feel as I'm feeling on the bike.

“Already in Motegi, we did a step forward in terms of reducing the speed of the bike to enter in the corner, to not miss the apex, and stay on the correct line.

“And this track, especially sector one and sector three, you need to do a really good line. Like corner 1 or corner 10, you need to stop the bike really well to go in and don't miss the apex.

“We fixed this since Motegi, and I'm quite happy because I was able to be strong in that area.

“And then sector 2 and sector 4 are really fast, corners that I really enjoy anyway.

“So we were able to put everything in place, and I'm quite happy because we did a really great lap time.”

The former Suzuki and Honda race winner, who has a best Yamaha grand prix result of eighth, is now turning his attention to Sunday’s main event.

“Tomorrow we have another opportunity. But tomorrow it's going to be much more difficult to warm the rear tyre, the medium.

“We spend 6-7 laps to be ready when the others are on their third lap.

“But I’m quite happy about today and about the work that we are doing.

“So I expect to lose some positions in the first six laps, because of the rear tyre. But then the pace is not bad.

“We need to find a way to overtake and to be there.”

Team-mate Fabio Quartararo crashed out of what became twelfth place on the final lap, with Pramac’s Miguel Oliveira the leading M1 in ninth.