“I didn't get any advance news,” said Nakagami at the Bꦬritish MotoGP.

“He has been many yearꦗs in blue colours [at Suzuki], and he is going back to blue colourไs again. I think definitely it's his favourite colour!” Joked the Japanese.

Although Rins has only completed five rounds at LCR, he provided Honda’s standout moment of the season so far with a shock victory at COTA.ꦏ It was also LCR’s first win, or podium, since Cal Crutchlow in 2018.

• Jack Miller: ‘♐Pr🅠etty cool’ to silence some critics, ‘now or never’ to join KTM
• Jack Miller: Pecco’s era, but 2023 MotoGP title not under Ducati’s control
• Joan Mir ‘didn't speak with Yamaha,﷽ believes it can work ꦇwith Honda’

“He [Rins] has good potential. Unf🍸o🍌rtunately, he had an injury, but he won the race in Austin. He definitely made an amazing job so far this season, apart from his injury,” said Nakagami.

“Of course, it's not the best feeling [for me], only a few races 𒉰and then the news my team-mate decided to leave Honda. But this is life, he already decided. I can just say I wish him to recover well and I hope he can race again as soon as possible.”

It’s still not clear when Rins, who remains the highest-placed🦹 Honda rider (14th) in the world championship, will be fit to rejoin Nak🅰agami and continue their lone LCR season as team-mates.

Meanwhile, Rins’ decision certainly won’t harm Nakagami’s chances of extending his𒐪 Honda contract for 2024💫.

“I'm happy with Honda. Of course, the situation🌳 is not the best. We are struggling, all the [Honda] riders. But it's not the first time for me and I just try to do m🐽y job with my team, with HRC,” Nakagami said.

“HRC is not going to give up. If I see HRC say this is the limit and they are not working, then I need to think about my♕ future, but I can say they are working really really hard.

“So I believe that we will be back on﷽ top💯. They are working really hard.”

Nakagami was the first rider to debut Honda’s new high-downforce fairing update at Silverstone, which he suggested could be fitted to both of his machines for th🍰e Red Bull Ring this weekend.