Rins had "no warning at all" before Sachsenring Suzuki MotoGP crash

Rins recorded his second consecutive retirement on Sunday, following on from his accident while running in the lead group during the Dutch TT at Assen last weekend.

Rins had been running a comfortable second, some three seconds behind Marc Marquez but clear of Maverick Vinales and Cal Crutchlow.

But he then lost the front end of his GSX-RR at the fast downhill right-hander of Turn 11 with 11 laps left of the 30-lap distance.

"It was a pity because I had a good feeling, but the bike didn't warn me at all," said Rins, who remains fourth in the points standings despite the crash.

"I entered [the corner] three or four km/h faster than on the previous lap and, with that, I fell in that corner, which is very critical. If you make a small mistake [there] you can't save it."

He added: "It's a shame because it's two zeros [retirements in a row]. Anyway, now the first position in the championship is a bit far away, but we can [still] fight for second."

Rins added there was nothing he could do to prevent Honda rider Marquez from winning at the Sachsenring, his seventh MotoGP victory in a row at the circuit.

"Marc was a little bit stronger," he said. "He started well, he was in the first position, he opened the gap a little bit when I was behind Maverick. I couldn't try to go with him.

"I think we need to take the positive things. In Assen and here I felt strong, I was riding well in practices, starting in the front positions."

Marquez extended his lead in the championship to a commanding 58 points over Ducati's Andrea Dovizioso, with Rins now 84 points down on the reigning champion.

Asked if he was still confident about fighting for second in the championship, Rins said: "Absolutely. Now we are coming to tracks that I enjoy to ride.

"I think we have a competitive bike, so we can show our real potential."