Alex Rins 5th and Joan Mir 7th in Thailand

A packed crowd filled Chang International Circuit for Round 15 of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship, where Joan Mir and Alex Rins made solid starts from their 8th and 10th grid spots. The SUZUKI ECSTAR pair were battling for the top 7 positions from the first laps onwards, and both got stuck into a fight with Rossi. The Italian was running ahead of Mir and Rins, but with 16 laps to go, Rins made a pass and was swiftly followed by his team-mate.

Rins was keen to continue his progression through the pack, and he steadily chipped away the gap to Morbidelli and Dovizioso in front of him. With 11 laps left, he had passed the Yamaha rider and was closing in on the Ducati. Alex managed the remainder of the race well, taking 5th place at the line and securing useful points.

Meanwhile, Joan Mir put in an impressive performance on his first appearance at Buriram with the GSX-RR, gapping Rossi and settling himself into a consistent and controlled race pace. He finished in 7th place, his best result since returning from injury.

Alex Rins:
“Today’s result is important for the championship, because I managed to get up to 5th and get good points. It was difficult to over-take Dovizioso, but I’m pleased to have recovered some places from my grid position. I’m focused on the next race and bringing a good result to the Suzuki workers in Japan, and in front of all the fans.”

Joan Mir:
“I’m really happy about the work we’ve done this weekend. We are getting closer to the top guys all the time. I struggled a bit with the heat today; my fitness is still suffering a bit after missing training during my injury. But I’m pleased to bring home 7th place. The atmosphere in Motegi is special, I want to do well there and take another step forward.”