MotoGP At the Indonesian Grand Prix, footage of Jorge Martin moving his motorcycle immediately before the lights went out sparked debate on social media. While it is alleged that the Aprilia rider made an erroneous start, the MotoGP rules explain why no penalty was issued.
Jorge Martin, who regained the MotoGP World Championship lead by two points after taking third place in Mandalika, by moving during the start, this time came to the forefront. In the footage shared on Instagram by Laura Espargaro, who is the rider of the Honda test rider Aleix Espargaro, it is seen that Martin moved his motorcycle forward immediately before the red lights went out. Following the spread of the footage, some social media users argued that the Spanish rider should have been penalized for an erroneous start.
MotoGP Start Rules and Judging
According to MotoGP rules, the main criterion for determining an erroneous start is whether the motorcycle moved forward when the red lights went out. The regulations stipulate that a standard two Long Lap penalty is given to riders who start early. However, a different assessment is applied to riders who make a small movement while the lights are red and then stop. In these situations, referees examine whether the rider gained an advantage from their movement.
The critical detail emerges in Martin's footage. Although the Aprilia rider moved his motorcycle briefly before the start, he was stopped when the red lights went out. Therefore, he is not considered to have started early according to the rules. A similar incident occurred earlier. In the 2019 Arlington Grand Prix, Cal Crutchlow was penalized for making a very small movement at the start, and he reacted strongly to the decision. In the Moto2 race in Misano this season, Collin Veijer experienced a similar situation. The Dutch rider was not deemed to have made an erroneous start because he moved his motorcycle while the lights were red and then stopped. Martin's move in Mandalika is evaluated within the same rules framework.
Critical Result in the Championship Battle
In the Indonesian Grand Prix, Marco Bezzecchi won, Raul Fernandez came second, and Jorge Martin came third. Marc Marquez finished in fourth place. With this result, Martin regained the championship lead by two points. Despite the controversial start footage on social media, the reason for no penalty was that Martin was stationary when the lights went out.
What they said:
According to MotoGP rules, the main criterion for determining an erroneous start is whether the motorcycle moved forward when the red lights went out.
What they said:
The regulations stipulate that a standard two Long Lap penalty is given to riders who start early. However, a different assessment is applied to riders who make a small movement while the the lights are red and then stop.
What they said:
In these situations, referees examine whether the rider gained an advantage from their movement.
Figures
- Archive: [Message from Jorge Martin to Marc Marquez for the championship: "I don't think I can do it anymore!"]](/news/agenda/jorge-martinden-marc-marqueze-sampiyonluk-mesaji-artik-zorlanacagimi-dusunmuyorum) (October 12, 2026)
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Go to sourceCompiled by Şükrü Utku Poyraz
