Alex Rins says Yamaha made only small progress

Alex Rins believes Yamaha has made minimal progress with its 2025 MotoGP bike after struggling with grip issues at the Thai Grand Prix.

Alex Rins of Spain and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP rides during the practice session of the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix at Buriram International Circuit in Buriram on February 28, 2025. Photo by Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Yamaha’s Alex Rins has expressed concerns over the development of the team’s 2025 MotoGP bike, stating that the manufacturer has made only “a very low step” forward compared to last year. Yamaha struggled at the Thai Grand Prix, with all of its riders finishing outside the top ten, raising doubts about its competitiveness this season.

Despite ending pre-season testing as one of the more promising teams, Yamaha failed to translate that form into race performance at Buriram. Pramac Racing’s Jack Miller, who was the highest-placed Yamaha rider in qualifying with a fourth-place start, dropped to 11th in the grand prix due to a loose fairing. Meanwhile, 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo faded from 10th to 15th, citing grip issues. Miguel Oliveira finished 14th on the second Pramac-run Yamaha, while Rins struggled to 17th, failing to score points.

Yamaha’s grip issues continue at Buriram

One of Yamaha’s persistent weaknesses over recent seasons has been a lack of rear traction, a problem that appeared to be even more pronounced in the sweltering conditions at Buriram. The introduction of Michelin’s stiffer rear tyre carcass for the event further complicated matters, making it difficult for Yamaha riders to extract competitive pace.

Rins admitted that he was pushing at full capacity throughout the race, but as tyre degradation set in, he struggled to maintain control of his bike.

“Looking at the performance, honestly, compared to yesterday, we did a step forward—a small step forward,” Rins said after Sunday’s race. “I was able to reduce the speed of the bike, I was able to go into the corner in a better way compared to yesterday [in the sprint]; yesterday I struggled a lot.”

However, he emphasized that his effort came at a cost.

“I was at 100% every lap. So, the last four laps, in corner four, I lost the front completely, and from that point to the end of the race, it was a mess to manage,” he explained. “It was really difficult for me. I was losing the front, the rear—a consequence of going 100% every lap.”

Yamaha riders frustrated with results

Rins was not the only Yamaha rider left frustrated by the performance at Buriram. With Miller finishing 11th, Quartararo dropping to 15th, Oliveira managing 14th, and Rins ending in 17th, the results were far from what the team had hoped for.

“For sure, this is not the result the Yamaha riders want,” Rins admitted. “It’s important to take all the info, analyze why, and improve. This is the actual mindset. It looks like we made a step from last year, but a very low step. So, let’s go for it.”

Argentina round could pose more problems for Yamaha

Rins also warned that Yamaha could face further struggles at the next round in Argentina, a track known for its low-grip conditions. Yamaha has traditionally struggled in such conditions, raising concerns about how competitive the team will be at Termas de Río Hondo.

“I don’t know. The level right now is this, at least at this track,” he said. “Sure, we are going to go to Argentina. It’s been two years since we rode there, since 2023. For sure in FP1, we are going to struggle because in low-grip conditions, we are ones who really struggle.”

He added that Yamaha needs to conduct a thorough analysis to determine where improvements can be made.

“We need to see it, we need to have a meeting and see the points,” he said. “In Sepang, it was quite good, we did quite a good test. Here in the test, Fabio was quite fast, but this weekend, he couldn’t show the potential he showed in the test.”

Yamaha’s development path remains uncertain

Yamaha’s struggles in Thailand raise questions about the effectiveness of its development approach for 2025. While the team has made progress since last season, Rins’ assessment suggests that the improvements are not significant enough to challenge the top teams consistently.

“We improved from last year, but very low,” he concluded. “So, we need to keep working and we need to keep looking at the things to improve.”

As the MotoGP season moves forward, Yamaha will be under pressure to find solutions to its grip issues and ensure that its factory and satellite riders can compete at a higher level. The upcoming Argentina Grand Prix will be a crucial test for the team as it looks to turn around its early-season struggles.