Factory Ecstar Suzuki MotoGP rider Alex Rins was understandably delighted with his second place finish in front of his home crowd at Jerez.

The Austin race winner came to Jerez just five points off the lead of the World Championship, and despite starting from down on the fourth row of the grid, Rins battled through to finish just over a second and a half behind race winner and new World Championship leader Marc Marquez.

Now just a point off the lead of the World Championship, Rins was elated with his home podium.

“We did an incredible race, starting from the fourth row,” said the 23-year-old.

“Before the start of the race, all the team and I knew the rhythm was the same as Marc, we know that always Marc goes one step down, but I was quite comfortable.

“The unique thing I had to try and overtake very fast, but I lost a lot of time with Dovizioso. The Ducati brakes very hard and accelerates is quite nice.

“But step-by-step I was overtaking the riders, and then I did a lot of laps at the front with Marc there, waiting for if he did some mistakes, but anyway, second position is incredible with us.”

Despite now finding himself as an early title challenger to Marquez, the Suzuki man said he must find consistency in qualifying, with races far tougher when having to come through the field.

“Still we need to work more hard in qualifying,” he said.

“I would like to start always better, but it’s hard, you know this is MotoGP. Try to do a very fast lap and it’s hard. But anyway, I will try to improve and keep the same line.

“I don’t know the problem, as I said before we need to improve the braking area. Maybe tomorrow we will work on that and maybe in qualifying if we improve this thing and maybe it comes easier. But the problem I don’t know. I tried to out the bike on the limit but I don’t know what is the problem.”