Alex Rins admits 100% fitness won’t be possible until MotoGP season ends

Alex Rins says he won’t be able to get back to full fitness from an injury sustained in the opening round of the 2020 MotoGP World Championship season until he can head back into the off season.

The Spaniard suffered a dislocated shoulder in a crash during qualifying at the Jerez season opener, an injury so painful he has previously admitted he’s been ‘screaming’ in his helmet at times on the bike since.

However, while he says the shoulder itself has since healed, it has left him lacking strength in his hand as a result due to the muscles he’s had to use to compensate for the injury. With this in mind, he says a full recovery can only occur when he has an extended period to heal without testing or racing.

“The shoulder injury, I’d like say I am at 100% but I am not,” the Suzuki rider said. “I am not feeling pain on the shoulder but for this injury you need to stop and recover for two or three months to be perfect, but we haven’t stopped. What I am feeling is not enough muscle (strength) on the right hand so we need to finish the season then for the next season recover to start perfect.

Though it hasn’t been a stellar first half of the 2020 season for Rins, at least in relation to team-mate Joan Mir, a podium last time out in Barcelona alongside his countryman has boosted him up to eighth overall and still with an outside shot at the title, 48 points off the lead and latterly turning in consistent finishes.

“It was super nice to finish with both Suzuki riders on the podium, the team was super happy. This doesn’t come from the work we are doing now, it comes from the work they did since coming back to racing so it was nice to do a double podium. 

“To celebrate with Ken-san, Davide, all the team, it was super… in Suzuki the relationship is like a family, the whole team, so it’s even nicer. The podium in Montmelo will give me extra motivation and power.”