MotoGP, Sportrik Media - Michele Pirro has become the first rider penalised in the 2026 MotoGP season after an incident with team-mate Alex Marquez during Thai Grand Prix Practice at Buriram.
Gresini Racing drafted in Pirro to replace injured rookie Fermin Aldeguer, who fractured his femur in a winter training accident and is expected to miss at least the opening round. Pirro has been riding the Gresini-run Ducati GP25 since last weekend’s Buriram test, stepping back into race duties after serving as Ducati’s long-time MotoGP test rider.
The decisive moment occurred in the final 20 minutes of Practice, when Marquez was forced to abandon a flying lap after encountering Pirro circulating slowly on the racing line. The FIM MotoGP stewards immediately placed the case under investigation, in line with the updated 2026 penalty protocol that places heightened emphasis on impeding incidents during time-attack phases.
Although Marquez ultimately secured direct progression into Q2, the stewards determined that Pirro’s actions met the criteria for a sanction. The Italian has therefore been handed a three-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Thai Grand Prix.
An excerpt from the official stewards’ document stated:
“Following the penalty protocol issued to teams, this action was deemed to be an incident of type MGP-SR4: Slow riding on line during the last 20 minutes of Practice – disrupting another rider and directly affecting progression into Q2.”
MotoGP introduced its revised penalty framework ahead of the 2026 season, with several areas under closer scrutiny. The most significant procedural change concerns crashed motorcycles, which can no longer be restarted on track; riders must now return to the service road before attempting a restart, a measure implemented for safety reasons. Additionally, regulations regarding overtaking under yellow flags have been tightened, requiring riders to relinquish positions by the end of the next sector or face a long lap penalty for non-compliance.
Pirro’s sanction sets the first regulatory precedent of the 2026 campaign, underlining the stricter enforcement approach from the opening round and potentially influencing grid strategy for both the Sprint and Sunday’s Grand Prix at Buriram.
Galeri Foto
Baca Juga
Marc Marquez akui belum mengendarai Ducati secara otomatis di MotoGP Thailand 2026 dan tertinggal dari Marco Bezzecchi.
Guenther Steiner terkejut dengan cepatnya pasar pembalap MotoGP 2027 jelang seri pembuka musim 2026 di Buriram.
Michele Pirro menerima penalti tiga posisi grid di MotoGP Thailand 2026 setelah insiden menghalangi Alex Marquez saat Practice.
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