MotoGP riders have expressed their concern over the championship’s new policy that imposes fines on those who do not meet minimum attendance requirements for fan events during grand prix weekends.
Recently, at the team meeting during the Indonesian Grand Prix, MotoGP announced that riders failing to attend promotional events could face a penalty of €5,000. One of the affected activities is the Hero Walk, an event that takes place on Sundays, where riders spend 20 minutes taking photos and signing autographs for fans.
During the recent Hero Walk in Mandalika, under extreme weather conditions, some riders were absent, and the new rule that establishes penalties for not meeting the minimum attendance of 10 minutes at the event will be applied to them. Fines could be increased in the case of repeated infractions and, ultimately, lead to sporting sanctions such as grid penalties or points deductions in the championship standings.
The riders express that these new restrictions do not take into account the conditions they may find themselves in. This was stated by Fabio Quartararo, who pointed out that the situation of the riders is not adequately considered. Pedro Acosta agreed that, in such circumstances, the priority should be the health and recovery of riders after a fall or an intense race.
Members of the circuit also admitted that it is a difficult time for them. Alex Marquez shared that increasing the demands could exhaust the riders, especially in the current weather conditions. He recalled that the calendar is becoming increasingly demanding and this can affect the overall performance of the riders.
Furthermore, Enea Bastianini expressed that he was unaware of the rule, but if it involves significant fines, its implementation is improvable. Other riders, like Alex Rins, agreed that fan activities are necessary, but always with an approach that respects the riders’ wellbeing, proposing that they could be organized in covered places or with more comfort.
The controversy surrounding this new policy will continue to be a topic of debate, as riders defend the importance of the relationship with fans and the balance with their own needs.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
