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Rins "expected" crash in MotoGP finale while fighting for win

Suzuki’s Alex Rins says he “expected” his crash out of the MotoGP Valencia Grand Prix while fighting for victory as he’d strayed slightly off-line.

Alex Rins, Team Suzuki MotoGP crash

Alex Rins, Team Suzuki MotoGP crash

Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

The Spaniard was running well in the opening stages of Sunday's finale at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, Rins working his way up to second by lap six as he split the Ducatis of Pramac's Jorge Martin and eventual winner Francesco Bagnaia.

Bagnaia demoted Rins almost immediately, but the Suzuki rider was keeping in touch with the leading duo as the top three broke away.

But Rins would crash at the Turn 6 left-hander on lap 11, which he says was down to him running "a little bit wide".

"Unlucky race in Valencia, for sure," Rins said. "It's a big shame to finish the season like this, because the pace was there.

"I did a mistake. I was a little bit not on the line, I was a little bit wide. Before the crash I expected it because I wasn't in the good line.

"But that's all. I mean, it was quite difficult behind Pecco and Martin.

"But let's finish this season and let's go to the Jerez test to try a new bike and see if we can fight next year."

Alex Rins, Team Suzuki MotoGP crash

Alex Rins, Team Suzuki MotoGP crash

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

This marked Rins' fifth race crash this season, all of which happening while he was running in strong positions.

Asked what he could do over the winter to eradicate this from his game for 2022, Rins said: "Well, the important thing is that we analyse the crash in the box and we discovered why I crashed.

"Let's see. Let's learn a lot from this year to go onto the next one.

"I wasn't in the correct line. The pressure of the brake was good, but I had a bit more angle."

Rins ends the 2021 season down in 13th in the standings on just 99 points having only scored one podium finish all year – a second at the British GP.

Having won the championship in 2020, Suzuki came away from the last season without a win for either of its riders, with outgoing world champion Joan Mir making six rostrum appearances.

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