Penalty points for dangerous riding in MotoGP from 2013

Dangerous and aggressive riding will be dealt with by a new penalty points system that will be introduced across all three classes in the MotoGP world championship from next season.

Points will be awarded between one and 10 depending on the severity of the offence and if a rider accumulates 10 points then he is immediately banned for one race.

Any rider that reaches four points will be relegated to the back of the grid, while a rider will have to start from pit lane if they reach seven points on the totting up procedure.

Once a rider has reached the 10-point threshold he reverts back to zero points and no points accrued in one season are carried onto the following campaign.

The new penalty system has been introduced to try and establish greater consistency when dealing with aggressive riding or other transgressions.

Race Direction has come in for criticism from inside the paddock for the way various incidents were dealt with and the lack of consistency in the punishments handed out.
Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez has been a serial offender having been embroiled in several controversial incidents including a collision with Pol Espargaro in Catalunya back in June and a final round incident with Italian Simone Corse that saw him relegated to the back of the grid in Valencia.

The points system doesn’t just apply to riding incidents on track. Finnish Moto3 rider Niklas Ajo was banned twice last season for pushing a marshal in Jerez and another rider following a crash in Indianapolis. The penalty points system will also covers those incidents too and is also hoped to act as a deterrent.

The new system was approved after a meeting of the Grand Prix Commission in Madrid last week and a statement said: “It has been recognised that there is the need to address the problem of riders who are constantly being warned or penalised for endangering other riders or committing other serious offences like assaulting marshals or other officials. To address this issue a new system of Penalty Points was approved. Race Direction can sanction a rider with a number of Penalty Points between one and ten. This can be instead of or in addition to any other sanction.”