Here’s how MotoGP’s new pit lane rule will stop future controversies

MotoGP has revealed a new pit lane entry rule that will make riders think twice about how they enter pit lane under certain conditions. This includes the type of incident that occurred during April’s Jerez sprint. 

Technically, Marc Marquez did nothing wrong when he crashed at the final corner of that race, remounted his bike, and travelled across a section of grass and the white pit entry lines before swapping bikes. The nine-time world champion then went on to win that race. 

But should he have been allowed to? That’s perhaps the bigger question. 

Under the pit lane guidelines that were in place at the time, the answer to that question is, yes. What Marquez did was not against the regulations in any way. 

The factory Ducati star is by no means the first rider to have suffered a crash near a pit lane entry, only to end up riding across a section of track, or indeed off track, just to make sure they got back to the pits as quickly as possible, even if it meant entering beyond the designated starting point. It’s a manoeuvre that’s even happened in four-wheel racing as well, however, if MotoGP tightened its rule sooner, results like Marquez’ victory in Jerez would not have materialised. 

Following the Jerez sprint, MotoGP began by tightening the wording around the pit lane entry rules at the next race, which took place in Le Mans, France.

But official confirmation of the new rule has now come from the Grand Prix Commission. Without making you read the full statement, what MotoGP has decided to do is regardless of what session it is, riders can only enter or exit pit lane by “using the designated entry/exit point and route”, which is defined by a broken white line. By doing this riders will end up going through the pit lane entry timing point, which must be done at all times.

The statement also says that “in case the broken white line is not crossed or the full pit lane entry/exit road is not used, the Stewards may penalise as appropriate.”

This means that incidents like the one involving Marquez at Jerez will produce very different results compared to before, as the Spaniard would likely be penalised for his actions.

The bigger meaning behind all this is that riders who crash just beyond the entry to pit lane will be required to conduct another full lap of the track before arriving at the entry point, unless their machine has too much damage to continue.

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