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2022 MotoGP World Championship
2022 Italian Grand Prix
Mugello Circuit
Florence, Italy
Sunday, 29 May 2022
Team Suzuki Ecstar's Alex Rins will be hoping to get his 2022 MotoGP season back on track in the
Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, May 29.
The Spaniard made a strong start to the year by not placing lower than seventh in the opening five rounds to be one of the early frontrunners.
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Rins finished on the podium in the Argentine Grand Prix (P3) and the Grand Prix of the Americas (P2), but has struggled in the last two races.
After only managing P19 on home soil in the Spanish Grand Prix, the 26-year-old went off the Le Mans track at the first turn on lap 5 and was thrown from his Suzuki just ahead of Jack Miller at the first chicane.
Rins is currently fourth in the riders' standings on 69 points, 33 behind reigning World Champion Fabio Quartararo after seven rounds.
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The Barcelona-born rider expressed his relief at escaping serious injury after coming off his bike at such high speed and was disappointed with how Team Suzuki Ecstar's weekend panned out.
"Luckily, I'm OK," Rins said. "If you run off at that corner, like I did, it can be very easy to get hit by another rider - thankfully the guys avoided me and nothing bad happened.
"I had already recovered some positions and I felt strong, but when I was behind Pecco [Francesco Bagnaia], I think I got a little bit more slipstream pulling me into the corner.
"When I was in the gravel, I was just trying to keep the bike upright, it's difficult to manage at 200 kilometres per hour, while trying to look where the riders are.
"I tried to reduce the speed as much as possible and avoid a crash with Miller. So But when I got out of the gravel and onto the tarmac, I exited at a slight angle and that caused me to crash.
"It's really a shame because we did a really good weekend. We've been so competitive during all the sessions."
2022 French Grand Prix results
Winner: Enea Bastianini - Gresini Racing
Second Place: Jack Miller - Ducati Lenovo Team
Third Place: Aleix Espargaro - Aprilia Racing
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