Yamaha rider Alex Rins has confirmed he will part ways with the team at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season.
Reports reveal that Yamaha has opted to sign Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura, with the Japanese star accompanying Aprilia’s Jorge Martin for the new regulations.
At Jerez, ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, the six-time race winner confirmed he was informed by Yamaha team manager Massimo Meregalli during a phone call that another rider had been signed.
“Eleven days ago, I called Massimo Meregalli, just a normal call,” said Rins.
“I have a really good relationship with him.
“When I called him, I asked him straight way, do you have any update?
“And he didn’t say anything. So I said, ‘Maio?’ He told me he shouldn’t say anything but he would tell me because he has a good relationship with me.
“He said ‘don’t say anything now, but we have signed the second rider.’”
Alex Rins left feeling ‘pretty bad’ after Yamaha’s removal decision
The 30-year-old has struggled since fracturing his right tibia and fibula at Mugello in 2023 with LCR Honda and is still not fully recovered.
These injuries have affected his results, as he finished third among Yamaha riders behind Fabio Quartararo and Jack Miller in 2025.
Ogura has not confirmed at Jerez whether he has signed with Yamaha, but Rins admitted he feels “pretty bad” about losing his seat.
“How am I going to feel about Ogura signing with Yamaha?” he shared.
“Well, it’s made me feel pretty bad, to be honest.
“I was comfortable at LCR. I had the option to come to Yamaha, and I thought I’d have more opportunities, but it hasn’t quite turned out that way. These have been some tough years.
“I had a hard time adapting to the inline-four engine, and we bet big on the V4 engine, to be able to build a bike that was a bit more suited to my style, and to take it all the way to the top.
“But it’s not going to happen.”
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