Australian Grand Prix weather forecast, Alex Rins, LCR Honda, riding conditions, Phillip Island

Reigning Australian Grand Prix winner Álex Rins has cast doubt on how this year’s race will proceed, with strong winds expected to disrupt Sunday’s race.

Phillips Island enjoyed warm and sunny weather on Thursday, but conditions are expected to deteriorate over the weekend.

Cool winds and light showers will arrive on Saturday for qualifying and the sprint, while Sunday’s radar forecasts up to 6 millimeters of rain and strong winds of up to 45 kilometers per hour. Gusts could reach 70 kilometers per hour.

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Temperatures will also drop from 22°C to a maximum of 16°C.

“It’s a bit difficult,” Rins told reporters on Phillip Island. “Of course we have to check whether it’s safe to ride or not, because with 70 kilometers I think we won’t ride.

“If we add water and cold, it’s definitely even more dangerous.

“We need to check the status. It looks like [Friday] It’s going to be the best day of the weekend.

The Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit is notoriously exposed to the elements in its picturesque position perched on the cliffs overlooking Bass Strait.

Its gusty setting has already disrupted the race, with Saturday qualifying in 2019 postponed to Sunday due to winds gusting in excess of 50 kilometers per hour.

The gusts were so strong and unpredictable that Miguel Oliveira was thrown off the track and into a high-speed crash at Turn 1 during practice. The rest of the day was canceled after riders called an emergency safety meeting to express their reservations about the conditions.

But even though the winds were less extreme, Rins expected difficult driving conditions.

“Of course it’s more demanding because you have to hold the bike harder,” he said. “You try to play with the bike, you try to change your riding style a little bit to adapt.

“But that’s how it is, it’s the same for everyone.”

The weather could pose a particular challenge for Rins, who continues his recovery from a broken leg suffered during the Italian Grand Prix in June.

His return to Japan was aborted after feeling too much pain during testing, but he finished ninth last weekend in Indonesia.

The physically demanding Mandalika race will have been a good workout for the 27-year-old, who believes the Phillip Island course will also help minimize his injuries.

“In theory it will be better – in theory – because there are only three turns on the right side,” he said.

“After [Indonesia] I felt a little tired on my right leg because I felt a lot of pressure on the muscles, but… they said it was normal because I demand more than my muscle or my leg can handle.

“It’s part of progress. I would like to arrive here in a different shape and in full confidence with the bike, in great shape, but this is not the time.

Rins won one of the most exciting entries in Phillip Island history last season, triumphing over Marc Márquez by just 0.186 seconds and leading home a field of seven riders split by just 0.884 seconds after 27 laps.

The Spaniard took Honda’s only victory of the season so far, at the United States Grand Prix earlier this year, but the Japanese giant has otherwise struggled to find form, with its only other podium Sunday obtained via Márquez two races ago in Japan.

But Phillip Island, being fast and smooth rather than tight and technical, tends to narrow the performance differences between the bikes, giving Rins a potential window to back up last year’s victory with a good result.

“It’s a special place because the track is really, really amazing and we had a great weekend last year, a great result,” he said.

“For sure [good feelings]. When you walk into a place where you’re comfortable, where you’re enjoying and all those things, immediately when you land on the plane, you have a smile on your face.

“This happened to me when we arrived in Melbourne. It’s completely different. I feel really good here.

“But [I am] without pressure. We have a recovery process and we have to see how we are doing.

“Then let’s see how it goes.”