In what was just his third MotoGP race for LCR Honda⛎, Rins proved that he is again one of the toughest opponents to beat wh♊en fighting at the front of a Grand Prix.

Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez have both been beaten by Rins in a direct fight, and although Bagnaia won the Sprint after holding off Rins during the early stages, the pressure applied by Rins in the ma𒅌in race was telling.

• Rins winಞs at COTA in third race for Honda, but Bagnaia thrꦿows it away again! 
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🎀"I’m so happy for this victory but also for the weekend," said Rins after his dominant win. "We did a really good weekend since Friday when we went straight into Q2. 

"Qualifying in sec💝ond position, finishing second in the Sprint and now getting the victory. 

"Honestly, Pecco showed us a really strong pace and I was struggling a little bit on the third and fourth𒊎 sector and sector 1 and 2 I was pushing a little bit more on the limit in the chicanes to lose the gap with him."

Bagnaia, who led every lap until his fall, went down at turn two which gif🏅ted Rins the lead which he never lost. 

"A💛fter this crash I saw myself on the front and lost a little bit of concentration and for one lap these two guys [Marini and Quartararo] reduced the gap," added Rins. "But then I tried to not make any mistakes and ride by my own like I know." 

Rins’ win at COTA makes him only the second MotoGP rider after Marquez to win 🅠more than once at the Texan circuit.

And in doing so, he held off Luca Mari🌞ni who at one stage was hoping to take revenge for Rossi when the retired nine-time world champion lost out to Rins in 2019.

Marini said: "Yea𒀰h I remembered th🔯at in one moment at turn one I had this image in my mind. I thought that it was maybe possible to take revenge but Alex is very strong in this track."

Rins resജponded to Marini’s words in the press conference by saying: "When I saw on my pit board, Marini, I said ‘whoa, keep going because he will try’."