Should Jorge Martin Have Been Penalized? Here’s What the MotoGP Regulations Say

After the Indonesian GP, a video emerged that led many to think Aprilia rider Jorge Martin had made an illegal start: was there a mistake?

Controversy is never far from MotoGP. Sometimes it erupts right at the circuit; other times, it starts on social media. In recent hours, a video posted by Laura Montero, Aleix Espargaro’s wife, went viral and sparked numerous comments. The footage shows Honda test rider Aleix Espargaro watching Jorge Martin’s start in the Indonesian Grand Prix race, with the Aprilia rider appearing to move his RS-GP26 in his grid slot. Many people wrote that it was a jump start, an offence that carries a double long lap penalty to be served during the race.

First of all, it is worth noting that the traffic lights are not visible in the video, so it is impossible to determine exactly whether Martinator made a jump start at Mandalika. Passing judgment without having a clear picture of the situation is a mistake, but by now we know that this is often how things work on social media.

Under the MotoGP sporting regulations, Article 1.18.13 states that after the warm-up lap, riders must position their bike’s front wheel up to and behind the front line, and between the side lines marking their grid position, while keeping the engine running. The front tyre must not touch the track surface outside the painted lines.

Article 1.18.14 then specifies that the bike must be stationary when the red lights go out. A jump start occurs when the bike moves forward as the red lights go out. If there is minimal movement followed by a stop while the red lights are still on, the designated officials must assess whether an advantage was gained.

MotoGP has all the tools needed to determine whether a start was early and whether a rider gained any advantage by making a start that was not entirely within the rules. As mentioned above, the video showing Martin moving on his Aprilia RS-GP26 does not show the traffic lights, so it is impossible to say for certain that an infringement occurred. The FIM stewards found nothing irregular, which is why the two-time world champion was not penalized. He returned to the top of the overall standings after finishing third in the Indonesian race.