“Frustrating to race like this” - Alex Rins waiting on Yamaha MotoGP upgrades

Alex Rins completed an exhausting Assen MotoGP with his first grand prix top-ten finish on the Yamaha V4.

The Spaniard crossed the line 1.3s behind team-mate Fabio Quartararo in tenth after being unable to pass Brad Binder's KTM.

However, the South African was later handed a tyre pressure penalty, promoting Rins to ninth.

“It was really tough,” Rins said. “At the beginning, I was able to see - I don't know if was Marc or Pecco - but when they were starting corner 16 [final chicane], I was arriving from 15. So, I was quite happy!

“Then, for sure they were playing, because I kept the pace and they were gone.

“But more or less, we had the same problems as the past races. And that's all. I try to give my maximum to stay there. 

"At a certain point, I had something more than Binder, but his bike was super fast! So, I couldn’t even try the overtake.”

"It's a bit frustrating to race like this"

Asked when upgrades to improve the V4's performance will arrive, Rins, who was officially confirmed as leaving Yamaha at the end of the season a few days after the race, replied:

“They say before the end of the year. When, and for who, I don't know.

“For sure, it's a bit frustrating to race like this. And I hope and I believe that they realise [this].

“For sure they are working at their maximum. But let's see if they can push a little bit more.”

Seventeen seconds behind Rins, Jack Miller finished 12th for Pramac Yamaha, with wildcard Augusto Fernandez - who was racing a revised front wing - 15th.

Toprak Razgatlioglu retired with chatter issues.

Jorge Martin and Ai Ogura were confirmed as replacing Quartararo and Rins next season, earlier today.