Rins was “fully crying” when Suzuki told him about its MotoGP exit

Last week, Autosport revealed Suzuki’s Japanese management had told its MotoGP race team at Jerez during the post-Spanish Grand Prix test that it was quitting the series at the end of the 2022 campaign.

The news – which was officially confirmed by Suzuki on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s French GP at Le Mans, as it enters discussions with series promoter Dorna Sports about its exit – came completely out of the blue for all involved in the MotoGP team.

PLUS: The seismic aftershock left by Suzuki’s decision to leave MotoGP

Rins, whose MotoGP future has now been thrown into doubt, says he was in tears when he was informed of the news – with it understood the riders only knew 15 minutes before the rest of the team – and offered his sympathies to the members of the race team now out of a job.

“After the Monday test in Jerez, Livio [Suppo] and [Shinichi] Sahara-san take me and told me the news in the office,” Rins said of when he was first notified of Suzuki’s decision.

“It was super hard. I was fully crying. I gave everything for this team since 2017, trying to give a lot of info to have a competitive and winning bike.

“But you know, it’s also the team members. They did everything since 2015 when Suzuki was in MotoGP again.

“For sure it was a big shock for me, a big shock for the team.

“It’s not easy. In the end, I can find something for the next year I think.

“But for them it’s more difficult. I feel very sorry, they are like a family for me.

“Let’s try to finish the season as strong as possible.

“This weekend will be the last for me with Suzuki at Le Mans, let’s enjoy the time with the Suzuki in this track. Next year we’ll ride with another bike.”

Suzuki is in its strongest moment in MotoGP since it won the world title with Joan Mir in 2020, with Rins joint leading the championship ahead of the Jerez weekend having scored two podiums and a…