Despite some trouble with injury and missed races, Álex was impressive and took some top-five results as a rookie – a good springboard for his sophomore season. He went on to take five podiums in 2018, consistently fighting at the front: another solid foundation for 2019. The next step was claiming a maiden MotoGP victory at the Americas GP before repeating the feat in Silverstone. 2020 was another outstanding year for the Spaniard as he claimed a victory in the Aragon GP as well as podium finishes in the Catalan, Teruel, and European GP, helping him claim third overall in the Championship.

2021, however, with crashes at crucial times costing him dearly, was a year to forget for Rins. He had opportunities on no fewer than six occasions but only tasted podium success once at the British GP. The Spaniard bounced back in 2022, delivering some superb performances despite real adversity. With the team at the top of the championship after five rounds, Suzuki’s planned exit hit them hard, resulting in a dip in form. But magnificent wins at Phillip Island and Valencia saw Rins finish the season as the in-form man, giving him great confidence heading into a new adventure with LCR Honda. He started the year strong, securing a dominant win at COTA, but a leg injury sustained in the Italian GP Sprint halted his 2023 campaign. Rins underwent two surgeries, missing a total of 10 GPs.

Already planning ahead during his absence, Álex was keen to get back into a Factory Team. During the summer he signed a contract with Yamaha Motor Company to join Fabio Quartararo in 2024 as part of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP line-up. After a brief return to the track in Japan, Indonesia and Australia, the Spaniard went in for another surgery, focusing on a complete recovery. He could hardly contain his excitement during the Valencia Test in November and having spent the winter break preparing for the 2024 season, he feels ready for his Yamaha debut.