MotoGP has released a new set of racing regulations regarding the results of races under red-flag conditions.
The premier motorcycle sporting league has announced new regulations regarding race results under red-flag scenarios that will be implemented for the 2022 MotoGP season.
The Grand Prix Commission has now declared that in the case of a red-flag stoppage, the official race result will now be taken from the previous lap before the red flag. This means the race leader will be the first rider who crosses the start-finish line before the red-flag is deployed.
This new regulation nullifies the old rule that required every rider to cross the finish line in order to receive an official race classification, resulting in the result being calculated from a complete previous lap.
“Previously, if a race was red flagged and a final result declared, the result was taken from the lap on which all riders had last crossed the finish line,” the official statement read.
“If a rider or several riders were half a lap or more behind the race leader, this caused the race classification to be taken from the previous lap, even when the race leader and the majority of the field had completed the next lap.”
“In these cases, any position changes or crashes on the race leader’s final lap were rendered moot.”
“Effective immediately, the result of a red flagged race will now be taken from the last time the race leader crosses the finish line before the red flag is shown.”
“All riders who cross the finish line on the same lap as the leader before the red flag will be classified in that order, as a partial classification.”
“Any riders who do not cross the finish line on the same lap as the leader before the red flag is shown will be classified based on where they crossed the finish line on the previous lap.”
“These two partial classifications will be combined to provide the final race result.”
“This system previously applied to races that were red flagged after the race leader had taken the chequered flag, and will now apply to all red flagged races for which a final result is declared.”
The new rule changes come ahead of the 2022 MotoGP season opener in Losail, Qatar on March 4th just ten days away.
