MotoGP Closes Odd Rule Loophole - Effective Immediately
During a meeting of the Grand Prix Commission, some significant decisions are made, including the closure of a loophole.
In response to requests from several MotoGP riders, the Sunday warm-up session will now commence five minutes earlier at 9:40 AM.
This schedule adjustment was approved by race management during the Misano event and will provide the MotoGP stars more time between the conclusion of the ten-minute session and the 10 AM rider parade.
Furthermore, the GPC clarified that emails and other electronic means are now permitted for communication from race management, stewards, or officials to teams and riders following meetings regarding potential penalties.
In the exceedingly rare event where a rider and their motorcycle cross the finish line separately, it was also decided that the timing will be triggered by either the rider or the motorcycle, depending on which one crosses the finish line first.
Regarding the modified regulations for wildcard entries, they will go into effect in 2024. In MotoGP, a maximum of three wildcard riders will be accepted per event, as opposed to the previous limit of two, with exceptions being granted only in exceptional cases, like the recent Misano event.
In instances where more wildcard entries are requested than allowed in a Grand Prix, a newly developed protocol will be applied, considering how many wildcard entries have already been allocated to a manufacturer during the current season.
New wildcard deadlines in Moto3 and Moto2
If the numbers are equal, the Constructor’s World Championship standings will be taken into account, giving priority to lower-ranked teams.
For Moto3 and Moto2, a new deadline of 90 days before the event (45 days for European events) has been set for applying for wildcard entries for Grand Prix races held outside of Europe.