RINS HOPES MARSHAL ALSO APOLOGISED AFTER INDONESIA INCIDENT

Alex Rins has apologised for his angry reaction to a marshal at the Indonesian Grand Prix, but says he hopes the marshal also acknowledged his part in the confrontation. The incident followed Rins’s Friday crash at Mandalika, when he was filmed making an obscene gesture after a marshal declined to take him back to the paddock.

Rins later said the marshal had first told him to get on a scooter, then refused to transport him. Two other marshals challenged that decision. The Yamaha rider spoke with FIM stewards afterwards and was not penalised. He also revealed that the episode prompted death threats from social-media users.

Reflecting on the dispute after Sunday’s race, Rins described it as “a big chaos” and said: “I already apologised. I hope, I hope, that the marshal also apologised because it was a really extreme situation.” He added that there was no need to spend more time on the matter.

The confrontation was not the only frustration of Rins’s weekend. He finished 15th in the 27-lap race, 31.6 seconds behind the winner, and reported a poor feeling from the Yamaha throughout. He said the engine braking and traction control were inconsistent, while the tyres overheated.

Rins had wanted to use the soft tyre, particularly after the warm-up, but followed his team’s recommendation against it. He said he did not regret accepting that advice: “We are a team. What I regret is the bike that we have.”