Alex Rins explains outburst against MotoGP marshal in ‘strange misunderstanding’

Alex Rins says a heated exchange with an Indonesian Grand Prix marshal on Friday was the result of a “misunderstanding”, which the stewards accepted was unusual.

The Yamaha rider was caught on video on Friday giving a marshal the middle finger, after he was stopped from being taken back to the paddock following a crash.

Rins had initially jumped onto the back of one marshal’s scooter, before a heated exchange developed between himself and three trackside volunteers.

Asked by Crash about it on Saturday after the sprint, Rins explained exactly what happened.

“It was really strange. It was really strange, because I crashed at the last corner,” he began.

“There were two, three marshals there, ready with the scooter.

“And they were fighting, [saying], ‘Come with me, no come with me’.

“So, I jumped on one bike. He made the main straight and then he left me there.

“Then I said, ‘No, no, the box!’ He said, ‘Jump in the car’.

“And I said, ‘No, you need to bring me to the box’. And then there were two marshals there who were saying, ‘Go to the box’.

“And he was saying, ‘No, no’. And then in this nervous moment, I gave him the finger. I apologised, because it’s not a good sign.

“The young fans are looking at us; it’s not a good sign [to do]. But I was really stressed.”

Rins had “quick chat” with the FIM stewards

There was some suggestion that the marshal on the scooter couldn’t leave his post to go to the paddock because he was carrying a fire extinguisher.

However, Rins disputed this.

“It was a regular scooter,” he added.

“He didn’t want me to go down the tunnel and go into the box. I don’t know. Maybe he was doing his job, but it was the first time that the marshal didn’t bring me to the box.”

Rins hasn’t been penalised for the incident, but did speak to the stewards about it, who were “surprised” about what happened.

“We had a quick chat,” he concluded.

“It was just a misunderstanding. Sure, it’s the first time it happened. The stewards were surprised also. Strange.”