Section 7: Violations & Penalties
Penalties are defined in Article 29 and related articles of the FIM MWGP Sporting Regulations. Race Direction is the primary authority for imposing in-race penalties. The FIM Stewards handle appeals and more serious disciplinary matters.
7.1 Long Lap Penalty (LLP)
The Long Lap Penalty was introduced into MotoGP in 2018 (effective Article 29.1). It is the standard penalty for most in-race infractions. The rider must, within 3 laps of notification (displayed on the rider's dashboard/pit board), exit the racing line and traverse a marked loop adjacent to the circuit that adds approximately 3–5 seconds to the rider's lap time. Failure to serve a Long Lap Penalty within the required number of laps results in escalation to a Ride-Through Penalty.
Infractions resulting in a Long Lap Penalty include (non-exhaustive):
- Jump start (false start detected by grid sensors)
- Overtaking under yellow flag conditions
- Exceeding track limits: after 3 officially noted track limit violations in a single session, a warning is issued; subsequent violations result in a Long Lap Penalty per additional violation.
- Causing a collision deemed minor by Race Direction
- Speeding in the pit lane (if less serious)
- Failure to respect the starting procedure correctly
7.2 Ride-Through Penalty (RTP)
A Ride-Through Penalty requires the rider to enter the pit lane, pass through it at the mandatory speed limit without stopping, and rejoin the race. This typically costs approximately 20–25 seconds. Infractions resulting in a Ride-Through Penalty include (Article 29.2):
- Speeding in the pit lane (for a more serious or repeat violation)
- Failure to serve a Long Lap Penalty within the required number of laps
- Serious breach of race procedure
7.3 Time Penalty
A time penalty (added to the rider's race time post-race) may be applied when a Ride-Through or Long Lap Penalty cannot be served during the race (e.g., the race ends before service is possible, or the infraction occurs in the final laps). The time penalty is determined by Race Direction based on the nature of the infraction and corresponds to the approximate time cost of the unserved penalty (Article 29.3).
7.4 Grid Penalties
Grid penalties (positions lost at the race start) are applied for the following (Article 29.4):
- Use of an additional engine beyond the season allocation: 3-place grid penalty per additional engine used.
- Impeding another rider during qualifying (blocking): typically a 3-place grid penalty.
- Change of motorcycle before the start for a reason not authorised by Race Direction.
7.5 Disqualification
Riders may be disqualified from race results (Article 29.5) for:
- Motorcycle found below minimum weight (157 kg) in post-race scrutineering.
- Use of prohibited technical components or fuel not complying with regulations.
- Failure to obey the black flag during the race.
- Repeated or serious unsportsmanlike conduct after a black-and-white flag warning.
- Technical non-compliance discovered in post-race inspection.
7.6 Black Flag Procedure (Race Disqualification)
When Race Direction decides to disqualify a rider during a race, the rider's number is displayed on the black flag board at the start/finish line and on the rider's dashboard display. The rider must stop racing immediately and return to the pit lane. Failure to observe the black flag is a serious disciplinary offence subject to referral to the FIM Stewards (Article 16.6).
7.7 Post-Event Appeals
Results-affecting penalties issued by Race Direction during an event that fall within the scope of appeal may be contested before the FIM Stewards within 30 minutes of the publication of official results (Article 35). A financial deposit is required to file an appeal. The FIM Stewards' decision is final and binding, except for technical matters which may be further appealed to the FIM Court of Appeal within the time limits prescribed in the FIM Judicial and Disciplinary Rules.