New MotoGP Rules: Penalty Points Introduced, Moto2 Quickshifters Regulated, Flag Signals On Dashes

By Press Release | Thu, 20/12/2012 - 09:40

The FIM today announced a raft of new rules for 2013, 2014 and 2015. The press release appears below, analysis will be published later today:

FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix
Decision of the Grand Prix Commission

The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Ignacio Verneda (FIM Executive Director, Sport), Herve Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA) in the presence of Javier Alonso (Dorna), Mike Trimby (IRTA, Secretary of the meeting), Paul Duparc (FIM) and Mike Webb (Race Director), in a meeting held on 13 December 2012 in Madrid, made the following decisions. (Note: Some decisions were made at the previous meeting on 10 November at Valencia but not announced at that time).

Sporting and Disciplinary Regulations

Effective immediately:

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. Points will "tot up" during the season and when certain thresholds are reached the following sanctions will be applied automatically:

  • Four Points - Starts next race from rear of grid.
  • Seven Points - Starts next race from pit lane.
  • Ten Points - Disqualification from the next event.

Once the ten point sanction has been imposed then points reset to Zero. Points are not carried forward to the following season.

Several changes to the start procedure were approved:

Pit lane opening will be accompanied by a green flag at the pit exit in addition to the existing green light.

No red flag will be displayed in front of the grid at the conclusion of the sighting lap.

Tyre warmers must be removed immediately on display of the one minute board.

Following approval of the new qualifying procedure for the MotoGP class it is also necessary to determine the criteria for actual qualification to take part in the race - the 107% rule. To be allowed to take part in the actual qualifying sessions a rider must achieve a time better than 107% of the fastest rider in any of the four free practice sessions. It is no longer possible to qualify for the race based on a time set in the warm up. Riders who are appointed as substitutes for an injured rider after some free practice sessions have taken place and have not achieved the 107% cut off will still be allowed to participate in Qualifying Practice 1 where they must achieve a qualifying time.

Failure of riders participating in their first event of the season to attend the FIM briefing may attract a penalty but will no longer result in automatic disqualification.

The responsibility for switching on red rear lights in rain conditions now rests with the teams. No boards will be displayed.

It is no longer a requirement for the team to be notified and acknowledge the imposition of a ride through penalty due to a jump start. The requirement will be displayed at the start line to the rider and included on the information page of the timekeeping monitors.

There is no longer a minimum fine that can be imposed by Race Direction. The maximum fine is now fixed at €50,000.00

Technical Regulations

MotoGP Class

Effective Immediately:

Carbon Composite wheels are not permitted. (As is already the case for Moto3 and Moto2).

The exception granted to CRT entries in 2012 to permit use of brake disks of a different diameter than the 320mm specified in the regulations will not be extended to 2013.

A revised allocation of tyres will be introduced. In principle, riders will receive an additional rear tyre and the "soft" front tyre offered as an option in 2012, but not used, will no longer be available. In that case, the exception concerning allocations of different grades of front tyres at certain specified circuits will be cancelled. The decision on the precise make up of the allocation will be taken following the official test at Sepang on 5-7 February.

In this context, the official supplier will be making available a "softer" rear tyre for use by CRT entries.

Effective 2014:

A procedure for homologation of the "frozen" engine specifications was approved. It was confirmed that this regulation does not apply to CRT entries and that different teams using the same brand of MSMA machine could have engines homologated with different specifications.

Effective 2015:

Maximum prices permitted to be charged for the supply of brakes and suspension will be imposed. Investigations are also being carried out with a view to capping charges for "service contracts" for the same products.

Moto3 and Moto2 Classes

Effective Immediately:

Moto2 class quick-shifter systems must be approved by the Technical Director.

The allocation of tyres for the Moto2 class is changed. In future riders will have the following maximum numbers available:

8 front tyres of the two standard specifications.

9 rear tyres of the two standard specifications

The actual specifications will be determined by the official supplier and all riders will receive equal allocations.

Front race numbers on Moto3 and Moto2 machines must have a separation of minimum 10mm between double digit numbers. Reflective backgrounds are not permitted.

Effective 2014:

To ensure that teams in the Moto3 are supplied with engines of the same specification at a reasonable price it has been agreed that engines will be supplied via the series organisers and distributed randomly. Engines will not be returned for maintenance but having completed normal mileage will be retained by teams for other purposes or sale on.

Discussions are continuing about the maximum number of engines allowed and the routine, minor engine maintenance to be permitted and a final regulation will be announced during the 2013 Qatar GP.

Maximum prices will be imposed for complete Moto3 class machines and maximum prices will be specified for chassis and major components for Moto3 and Moto2 class machines. Again, final regulations will be announced during the 2013 Qatar GP.

All Classes

Effective 2014:

In 2013 Dorna will introduce a new timekeeping transponder that will have the ability to display on the dashboard additional information for the rider. Most importantly, this will include the ability to duplicate flag signals. Use of a compatible dashboard is mandatory from 2014 and optional in 2013.

In the Moto2 class the use of an updated Lambda sensor will be compulsory

Effective 2015:

FIM homologation standards for all racing wheels were approved in principle. Final standards will be announced at the Qatar GP

Other Matters

The Commission confirmed acceptance of all MotoGP class CRT entries on the provisional 2013 entry list.

The Commission approved various MotoGP wild card entries:

Michel Pirro - Ducati - Jerez, Mugello and Misano
Martin Bauer - Schwarz & Bronnen – Brno

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Comments

So just for Moto2 and Moto3 there is now a litle bit of a rule for the racing numbers? It is about time that all classes get racing numbers again that people can actually find and read from the grandstands. The graffiti on the bikes today is an insult to everybody who pays good money to attend a GP.
And it's not much better on tv; even the commentators are often at a guess who is in the groups and who has crashed. It is ridiculous.

I have been banging on about this for years. It is an insult to spectators as Powervalve58 says, and arrogant in the extreme that the organisers allow unreadable race numbers on all machines.
It is very easy to be mistaken on the rider, even in the MotoGP class at the distance of the average spectator. Riders change helmet designs more often than their underwear making that age old recognition factor obsolete.

So how do the series organizers issue and distribute engines in Moto3 when there are multiple engine manufacturers involved? Does that mean Dorna is going to have to stockpile multiple engines, or have service contracts with multiple engine providers?

And it's one thing to have a company agree to provide a production racer. It's another thing entirely to try to cap chassis costs. Unless you cap the costs of every part on the bike individually, you wind up with all teams buying the "cost controlled" chassis and then well-heeled teams buying the upgrade kit or whatever ...

I foresee a single-engine Moto3 class in the future, and perhaps even a spec chassis supplier.

Maybe. But for the Moto3 engines, well, I've seen what happens when club level racers get their hands on factory or factory-supported engines. It's usually not pretty, unless you find beauty in a thermonuclear blast. Seriously, the idea is supposedly to make the engines cheaper and more accessible to everyone, so I think the trend will be toward less trick, not more trick, and they'll be ready for a pretty comprehensive rebuild when they're sold on ...

"Effective 2015:

Maximum prices permitted to be charged for the supply of brakes and suspension will be imposed. Investigations are also being carried out with a view to capping charges for "service contracts" for the same products."

Ah-Hem!