Photo: Yamaha Racing
Álex Rins confirms he will leave Yamaha in 2026
Álex Rins has confirmed that he will leave Yamaha Factory Racing at the end of the 2026 season. The Spanish rider said he was disappointed with the decision but will stay focused and continue to give his best in every race.
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Álex Rins has said that he will leave Yamaha Factory Racing at the end of the 2026 season. He spoke about this openly to the media during the race weekend in Jerez.
Rins explained that the team had already decided to sign another rider for the future. He found out during a phone call with team manager Massimo Meregalli. During the call, Meregalli told him that a second rider had already been chosen, which meant there was no place left for him.
The Spanish rider said he felt disappointed by the news. He joined Yamaha because he believed they could achieve strong results together. However, he admitted that riding the bike has not always been easy for him, especially when using the older engine.
Yamaha has been working on a new project, including a different type of engine for the future. Rins said he felt a bit more comfortable with this newer bike, but the team still decided to make a change in their rider line-up.
Even though he is unhappy with the situation, Rins made it clear that he will continue to give his best effort. He said he remains fully professional and will try to perform well in all the remaining races of the 2026 season.
Looking ahead, Rins does not yet know where he will race after 2026. He hopes to stay in MotoGP because he believes he still has the ability to compete at a high level. He also said he wants to keep proving himself on the track.
There are also rumours about who might join Yamaha in the future. Some reports suggest that riders like Jorge Martín or Ai Ogura could be part of the team, but nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
The 2026 MotoGP season is important because it is the last year before big technical changes arrive in 2027. Teams are already planning for the future, which may explain why Yamaha is making early decisions about its riders.
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