Last month, Álex Rins also skipped the German Grand Prix after his nasty crash in the opening round of the TT Assen. At Silverstone, the Spaniard returned to action with a new contract in his pocket, but after Friday it was decided not to continue. Rins crashed in turn 6 in the final phase of the training, after which he staggered away and waved with his right hand – which he had injured in Assen. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the injury has become more serious as a result of this slide.
On Friday evening, Yamaha announced that Rins was experiencing pain and that he would therefore prioritize his health and skip the British Grand Prix. After a period of rest, the 29-year-old rider will undergo further checks to see if he is fit enough for the Austrian Grand Prix on August 18. For logistical reasons, it was decided to move Remy Gardner, who was present this weekend as a replacement for the injured Cal Crutchlow – who was supposed to ride with a wildcard – to Rins’ garage. He will continue to ride for the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team.
“After assessing my medical condition with my doctors, we have come to the conclusion that it is most responsible for me to skip the remainder of the British GP,” said Rins. “As you can imagine, I feel sorry for the team and for myself. Every lap we have done this season has been useful for the development of the bike and for closing the gap to other manufacturers. However, the pain I feel and the risk of a more serious injury, together with the medical advice, make me take this decision. I hope to be back on track soon.”
Health first
The problems started for Rins in Assen, where he was thrown from his Yamaha M1 in the first corner. He suffered two fractures in his right wrist, as well as a fracture in his right foot. He underwent surgery for both injuries in Madrid at the time. Not all bones have healed since then, which is why the doctors advised not to take any risks.
Team director Massimo Meregalli is of course disappointed that Rins has to step down for this weekend. “First of all, I would like to express my condolences to Alex. Drivers are always disappointed when they can’t race, but this is perhaps even more frustrating for Alex because the British GP is a very special round. Furthermore, Alex loves Silverstone and has had some great results here, so it is certainly a disappointment. However, his health and well-being must come first. We have therefore decided that it was not worth it for him to continue with the British GP race weekend. We hope to have him back in better shape in Austria.”
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