Marco Bezzecchi
Alex Rins could effectively swap seats with Ai Ogura as the departing Yamaha rider emerges as an option for Trackhouse. It emerged on Saturday that Ogura will race for the Japanese manufacturer in 2027.
The move hasn’t been made official, but a contract extension for Rins has looked increasingly unlikely. With Fabio Quartararo heading to Honda, Yamaha are set to field an all-new factory line-up of Ogura and Jorge Martin.
Rins, who made his MotoGP debut in 2017, is approaching 150 starts in the premier class and is a six-time race-winner. He has struggled since joining Yamaha in 2024, posting just five top-10 finishes in 42 outings.
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Alex Rins speaking to Trackhouse and Gresini over 2027 MotoGP seat
Clearly, Rins is at risk of dropping off the MotoGP grid altogether after Yamaha moved for Ogura. He is not seen as a contender for satellite team Pramac at this stage.
However, he does still have options elsewhere. According to Motorsport Espana, he is in negotiations with Trackhouse, where he could form an all-Spanish partnership with Raul Fernandez.
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Rins is also listed as a candidate for Gresini, but those seats are likely to go to Dani Holgado, one of the most sought-after talents in Moto2, and Enea Bastianini.
It has recently emerged that KTM could block Bastianini’s exit through a clause in his contract, which may offer Rins some hope. However, it seems unlikely that Pit Beirer would force the Italian to stay against his wishes.
‘What am I doing here?’ – Alex Rins’ last Yamaha interview before Ai Ogura bombshell?
Speaking after the United States GP, where he finished 18th, Rins said he was losing his enjoyment on a Yamaha bike that is clearly the slowest on the grid.
He also cast doubt on his future, indicating that Yamaha may already have informed him about their decision.
“I couldn’t get the bike to turn to change direction,” he said. “I felt useless on the bike. I asked myself, what am I doing here? There are moments when I don’t enjoy it, and then I thought, what the hell are we even racing for?
“I haven’t enjoyed riding the bike for a long time. I don’t know if I’ll be here next year, so I also need to find my place. Given these results, that definitely isn’t helping.”
Scott Redding has claimed that Rins only reached MotoGP because of his nationality. There is now growing commercial pressure for the grid, largely made up of Spaniards and Italians, to diversify.
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