Rins: the comeback king

Since the middle of last season, Team Suzuki Ecstar and Alex Rins have come to the fore in the premier class. The Spaniard’s race craft is reflected in his ability to make up positions from his qualifying positions and Spanish publication as.com explore just how impressive his comebacks have been in 2019.

Rins has made up 30 places in four races, an average of 7.5 per race – more than any other rider. He made up six positions in Qatar (10th to 4th), 11 in Argentina (16th to 5th), six in America (7th to 1st) and seven at the Spanish GP last time out (9th to 2nd) to sit just one point behind Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in the Championship standings.

Improvements in qualifying are what Rins is aiming for, but there’s no doubt he and Suzuki can mix at the front on a Sunday afternoon. Will we see a similar comeback in Le Mans, or can qualifying upturn arise for the number 42 rider?