MotoGP winner speaks after receiving death threats for incident with marshal in Indonesia
The ugly side of social media was on display during last weekend’s Indonesian MotoGP, as Yamaha rider Alex Rins received death threats following a bizarre incident with a marshal.
MotoGP rider Alex Rins says he’s moved on from last weekend’s incident with a marshal at the Indonesian Grand Prix, which saw him receive death threats online.
Rins was seen arguing with a marshal after the Yamaha rider crashed during Friday Practice, before showing him the middle finger.
What followed showed the ugly side of social media, as the six-time MotoGP race winner received death threats.
According to the Yamaha rider, the incident started when Rins was told by a marshal to get onto his scooter, only to then be told this would not be the case.
Rins was criticised for his actions, which he later apologised for as part of a post on twitter, where he explained exactly what happened.
Rins said: “I want to clarify what happened yesterday after my crash. There was a misunderstanding with a marshal when I was trying to get back to the box.
“It was a stressful moment, and I reacted in a way that I shouldn’t have. I apologise for my gesture. It wasn’t right, especially knowing that young fans are watching us. I have a lot of respect for the marshals and the work they do.
“However, I’ve also received some very serious comments, including references to death and violence. I understand why people are upset by my reaction, but threats and abuse should never be acceptable. We can all make mistakes, and I take responsibility for mine.”
Following Sunday’s Grand Prix, where Rins finished 15th at Mandalika, the Spaniard says he hoped the marshal also apologised for his part in the incident.
Rins told reporters: “Was a big chaos. Nothing to say. I already apologised. I hope, I hope, that the marshal also apologised because it was a really extreme situation. But I mean, we don’t need to lose time on this. And that’s all.”
Mandalika continued what has been a very difficult 2026 season for Yamaha, which is its first using the V4 engine after switching from the brand’s iconic crossplane inline-four motor.
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
