Factory Suzuki MotoGP rider Alex Rins ended the 2018 season with back-to-back podiums, although the Spaniard said that he cannot wait to get started with MotoGP testing on Tuesday around the same Valencia circuit.

With back-to-back second place finishes, Rins secured fifth in the World Championship, beating out Johann Zarco for the honour. Despite this, Rins was eager to talk about the advancements that the Suzuki have made in Japan.

“For sure, we did an incredible second part of the season,” said the 22-year-old.

“We give a lot of information to Suzuki to try and develop the bike. Already in Japan, Sylvain Guintoili, our test rider, he tried a different chassis and engine with a little more power. So we will try to keep the concentration for the next year.”

With regards to todays race, Rins found himself over six seconds clear in the early stages of the first race, only to see that gap cut down when the rain got heavier. He started the second race from pole, but couldn’t covert it to a win, but was delighted with his second place.

“When the first race, when I saw four seconds to Dovi it was incredible, I couldn’t believe it,” he said.

“But then I tried to keep the concentration on full. But then when the heavy rain started, I took a lot of risks. So I tried to be on the bike because it was very, very difficult.

“Then when Andrea and Valentino overtook me, and when I saw Andrea put his hand up, at the next corner I also put my hand up, because seriously it was very difficult to be on the bike.

“In the second race, I tried to do the same, we didn’t change the tyres, and the same medium and soft and I tried to start in the same way, because I was fighting with Zarco for fifth in the World Championship. I knew that yesterday Dovi was faster than me, so I was trying to do the same, but Andrea and Valentino had more rhythm than me, they caught and me overtake me.

“But then second for me, for Suzuki is incredible.”