Marc Marquez’s decision to leave the grid at the last moment and swap bikes ahead of the MotoGP Americas Grand Prix was no spontaneous move.
Instead, the Spaniard insists it was a calculated decision based on his deep understanding of the rulebook.
With rain hitting the Circuit of the Americas before Sunday’s race, most riders opted for wet tyres on the grid, while Brad Binder, Enea Bastianini, and Ai Ogura gambled on slicks.
Then, three minutes before the start, Marquez made a sudden dash to the pitlane to switch to his dry bike, triggering a domino effect, with multiple riders following suit.
The situation quickly spiraled into chaos, forcing a delay to the race and a restart under the original grid order. Marquez, who had secured pole position, and all other riders causing the mayhem faced no penalty for the move.
Maverick completely bikeless on the grid, riders lined up on the pitlane and RED FLAG!
— MotoGP™#AmericasGP
pic.twitter.com/S69NN0usB9
(@MotoGP) March 30, 2025
After ultimately crashing out of the race, Marquez explained his reasoning:
“I really know the rules and how to be on the limit all the time. I asked [Marco] Rigamonti seven minutes before the start if the second bike was ready.”
“He said yes, and I told him that maybe I would leave the grid.”
Marquez revealed he had anticipated that wet tyres would not be the right choice and that if enough riders followed him into the pits, a race stoppage would be inevitable.
“I predicted that more than 10 riders would follow me, and then they would stop the race. So, it’s what happened.”
“We did everything well, everything was clear. But then I made the mistake in Turn 5,” he added.
According to MotoGP’s regulations, riders who swap bikes after the three-minute board must start from the pitlane and, if changing tyres, serve a ride-through penalty.
However, a separate rule states that if more than 10 riders start from pitlane, a race restart will be triggered under the Quick Start procedure.
Rule of ten caused the delayed start
— MGP1 MotoGP (@mgp1official) March 30, 2025
#MotoGP #AmericasGP pic.twitter.com/qSltOQm98Z
Marquez knew this, and when the situation unfolded as he predicted, the race was reset, and he retained his grid position.
However, Race Director Mike Webb clarified that the restart decision was made purely for safety reasons rather than a strict application of the rulebook.
“We called for a delay and then a Quick Start procedure due to safety concerns,” Webb explained.
“Given the number of riders, bikes, and pit staff on the grid and in the pitlane area, it was impossible to start the warm-up lap.”
“A new race start was the safest way to respond to the unprecedented circumstances.”
Webb also confirmed that MotoGP officials will review the situation alongside teams to determine whether any regulatory changes are needed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Webb also confirmed that
