Alex Rins ‘hopes marshal apologised’ after Indonesia incident sparked death threats

Alex Rins says “I hope the marshal also apologised”, after an incident at the Indonesian Grand Prix sparked death threats towards the Yamaha MotoGP rider.

Rins was caught on video giving a marshal the middle finger after he refused to take him back to the paddock after a crash on Friday afternoon at Mandalika.

The Yamaha rider later explained that the marshal told him to get on his scooter, only to then say he wouldn’t take him back to the paddock. Two other marshals then protested this decision.

Rins later apologised for his reaction, though he revealed he had also received death threats from fans on social media in the wake of the incident.

“It was a really extreme situation”

Following last Sunday’s Indonesian Grand Prix, Rins moved to draw a line under the incident.

“Was a big chaos,” he told reporters, including Crash.

“Nothing to say. I already apologised. I hope, I hope, that the marshal also apologised because it was a really extreme situation.

“But I mean, we don’t need to lose time on this. And that’s all.”

Rins spoke to the FIM stewards after the incident on Friday, but was not penalised for his actions.

“What I regret is the bike that we have”

Rins struggled in the 27-lap race at Mandalika last Sunday and was 31.6s off the lead in 15th.

He said his Yamaha’s engine braking and traction control was “inconsistent” throughout the race, while noting that he pushed to run the soft tyre but was convinced otherwise by his team.

“Regarding the race, it was a really bad feeling,” he said.

“It was not the same feeling as Friday or Saturday, for sure.

“The track changed and everything changed for everybody. But my bike, the engine braking was inconsistent; the traction control was the same.

“From the first lap, it was a really bad feeling during all of the race. And then the tyres were overheated - same story as always.

“I was quite convinced to put the soft tyre on, even more after the warm-up.

“But the team really, really, really recommended me to not use it. I don’t regret it. We are a team. What I regret is the bike that we have.”