How Alex Rins Survived the New M1 Slump?

Rins: “It Sucked, But My Crew Did not”

Alex Rins is keeping it real. After two years of wrestling a Yamaha M1 that seems to have forgotten how to win, the six-time race winner admits the experience has been a mental grind.

Coming from the Suzuki (fast) and the LCR Honda (briefly fast, then painful), Rins was supposed to be the “Inline-Four Whisperer.” Instead, he spent 2025 stuck in the mid-pack mud. While teammate Fabio Quartararo managed to scavenge 201 points and some silverware, Rins finished 19th with a lonely 68 points. His season highlight? A 7th place in Indonesia.

The “Anti-Drama” Approach

Usually, when a rider is 133 points behind their teammate, heads start rolling in the garage. Not for Rins. While the bike has been a headache, he credits his mechanics for keeping him sane.

“It was a bit tough, mentally. But having a good group of people around you… it’s easier. I believe in my team.”

Translation: The bike might be a tractor, but the guys fixing it are world-class. Yamaha agrees, renewing the entire crew for 2026.

The Big Pivot

Rins enters the final year of his contract in 2026 with a massive “What If?” hanging over the garage. Yamaha is finally ditching their signature inline-four engine for a V4 powerhouse. It’s the Hail Mary the team needs to stop the bleeding and get Rins back to the front.

While Rins was busy wrestling his Yamaha M1 into 19th place, the rest of the “Struggling Giants” (Yamaha and Honda) were having a bizarre year of their own.

Here is how the battle of the underdogs shook out in the 2025 final standings:

The “Pain & Glory” Leaderboard: 2025 Final Standings

3 Spices from the 2025 Season

1. Fabio vs. The World

Quartararo was the only rider on a Japanese bike to crack the Top 10. He finished a massive 133 points ahead of Rins. While Rins was “mentally toughing it out,” Fabio was performing literal miracles, including 5 pole positions and a podium in Spain.

2. Honda’s Stealthy Comeback

Believe it or not, the Honda boys actually outscored Rins. Johann Zarco (148 pts) and Luca Marini (142 pts) found a rhythm in the second half of the year. Marini, in particular, went from “back of the grid” to a dependable top-10 threat, proving that Honda’s development might be moving a hair faster than Yamaha’s current inline-four.

3. The Yamaha Civil War

Rins didn’t just lose to Fabio; he was also out-pointed by Jack Miller, who was in his debut year on the Pramac Yamaha. Miller finished with 79 points despite being the “new kid” in the Yamaha family.

The Bottom Line

Rins wasn’t just fighting the bike; he was fighting a grid that was rapidly evolving around him. With Honda moving to “C Concessions” and Yamaha prepping a V4, 2026 is looking like a high-stakes “Redemption or Bust” year for the Spaniard.

Forget the slow-burn rebuild—2026 is a full-blown technological civil war. After years of watching Ducati turn every straightaway into a drag strip, the Japanese giants are finally throwing out the rulebook to reclaim their throne.

Here is your 2026 Season Preview: The V4 Revolution vs. The Honda Resurgence.

The Tech War: Yamaha’s “Hail Mary” V4

For the first time since the start of the MotoGP era in 2002, Yamaha is ditching its signature Inline-Four engine. They are going all-in on the V4, the same engine configuration that has made Ducati unbeatable.

• The Mission: Stop getting bullied on the straights. The V4 is designed for raw acceleration and “point-and-squirt” power delivery.
• The “Secret Weapon”: Because Yamaha finished last in the standings, they are the only team with “Rank D” concessions. This means while Ducati and Honda have their engines frozen for the 2026 season, Yamaha can keep changing and developing their V4 every single weekend.
• The Rins Factor: Alex Rins has already been testing the prototype. His early verdict? It’s a beast, but it’s “raw.” He’s warned that it lacks traction compared to the old bike, but the ceiling for performance is much higher.

The Honda Resurgence: “No More Mr. Nice Guy”

Honda is not just building a bike; they’re building a statement. After a surprisingly strong finish to 2025, HRC has moved up to “Rank C” concessions. They’ve lost some testing freedom, but they’ve gained something better: momentum.

• The New Bike: Rumors suggest the 2026 Honda (potentially dubbed the RC214V) is a radical departure from the bike that nearly broke Marc Marquez. It’s longer, more stable, and finally has the “rideability” that riders like Luca Marini and Joan Mir have been begging for.
• The Lineup Shuffle: With Johann Zarco fresh off a 2025 French GP win and Aleix Espargaro joining as the ultimate “bike developer” test rider, Honda has the most experienced garage on the grid.

Tale of the Tape: 2026 Battle

Sources & Deep Dives

• The Inside Story on Rins & The V4: Alex Rins “Turns a Corner” with Yamaha V4 Engine
• Official Yamaha 2026 Announcement: Yamaha Confirms Switch to V4 Engine Configuration
• Full 2025 Rider Standings & Profiles: Alex Rins Official MotoGP Rider Profile
• Indonesian GP Analysis: Rins Shines with Mandalika Pace – Yamaha Official Report
• Technical Breakdown: Why Yamaha’s V4 is a Strategic Masterstroke for 2026

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