Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP

Quartararo and Rins Battle in Intense Heat in Czech GP Sprint

Today's 10-lap Monster Energy Grand Prix of Czechia Sprint was a fiercely hot contest. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins wrapped it up in P13 and P14 respectively. Rins was given an 8-second penalty post-Sprint for technical regulations infringement, which demoted him to P15.

GRAND PRIX OF CZECH REPUBLIC

SPRINT

Brno (Czech Republic), 20th June 2026

13th

F. Quartararo
+15.038 / 10 LAPS

15th

Á. Rins
+23.535 / 10 LAPS

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP's Fabio Quartararo and Álex Rins pushed hard in the sweltering Monster Energy Grand Prix of Czechia Sprint to wrap up the 10-lap dash in P13 and P14 respectively. Rins was given an 8-second penalty post-Sprint for technical regulations infringement, which demoted him to P15.

In air temperatures well above 30˚C, Quartararo launched from P14 and completed the first lap in the same position after two rivals had crashed out ahead of him. He then got into a battle with Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and was relegated to P15. With three more rivals unable to reach the chequered flag, the Frenchman was defending P12 from Franco Morbidelli on the final lap, but he was pipped to the post by 0.096s. He ended up in P13, 15.038s from the winner.

Starting from 18th on the grid, Rins was circulating in 17th place in the opening stages. At the time, he was part of the rider group fighting for P13. With Pedro Acosta, Luca Marini, and Marco Bezzecchi crashing out over the remainder of the Sprint, the Spaniard gradually moved up to P14, which he held to the chequered flag, 15.535s from first. Rins was given a penalty post-Sprint for failing to meet the tyre pressure limit, which demoted him to P15.

Today's results keep Quartararo in 15th place in the championship standings with 37 points while Rins stays in 19th with 12 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP are in 10th position in the team classifications with 49 points, and Yamaha is 5th in the constructor rankings with 49 points.

The team will be back in action tomorrow for Warm Up, held from 09:40-09:50 (GMT+2), and the 21-lap Race, which starts at 14:00.

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MASSIMO MEREGALLI
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Director

"While we, so far, don't quite have the pace we had hoped for here, the feeling at this circuit is already a lot better than at previous rounds. It was a demanding Sprint in very hot conditions – maybe the hottest we have faced so far this season – so that makes today's data very interesting for us. Fabio and Álex gave it their maximum, and while there were no points in it for us today, we have gathered useful information. We will analyse everything overnight and aim to make a step forward for the Race.

"Álex was handed an 8s penalty post-Sprint for failing to meet the tyre pressure limit, which we accept."

FABIO QUARTARARO
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider

"This morning I felt better than this afternoon. The feeling with my bike overall is not so bad, but on the first laps of the Sprint it felt different, and we need to find out why, because I know my pace was faster than this. Toprak was faster than I was at the beginning, then I could maintain the pace for a bit, but the soft rear tyre was overheating quite a lot. We use the rear a lot to turn, and I think my rear tyre got cooked."

ÁLEX RINS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Rider

"It was tough. I had Morbidelli in front of me, and I overtook him a couple of times because he was braking very early, but as soon as he would see me by his side, he would release the brakes, so he was able to defend the position. Today's heat increased the temperature of the front tyre a lot for us. Let's see what we can do tomorrow."