Fabio Quartararo, rider of Yamaha Factory Racing, has lost the points obtained during the recent British Grand Prix of MotoGP, finishing in a dismal 16th position due to a 16-second penalty. This sanction was imposed for an error in the configuration of the pressure sensors of his tires.
Normally, penalties related to tire pressure occur when a rider has not completed enough laps with the pressure above the minimum specified by Michelin. However, in Quartararo’s case, the issue was that the pressure readings of the front tire were not recorded properly. According to the commissioners, “the sensor ID had not been registered in the receiver’s database”, an error attributed to a procedural failure by his team before the race.
The pressure sensors, installed on the wheels, are provided by OnRace Motorsports, a French company, and it is the responsibility of each manufacturer to manage and configure the sensors on the bikes. During the race, it was discovered that the data from the pressure sensor of Quartararo’s front tires were not transmitted in real time. Once the race was over, Danny Aldridge, technical director of MotoGP, requested OnRace Motorsports to analyze the issue.
Investigation of the problem
In their initial analysis, it was checked whether the sensor was operating correctly, comparing the pressure readings with a device usually available to all teams. The two readings matched, confirming that the sensor was functioning properly.
However, the communication between the system installed on the bike and the electronic control unit (ECU) had not been established, which was crucial to understanding the origin of the failure. The subsequent analysis demonstrated that Quartararo’s front tire sensor was not registered in the receiver, a lapse attributed to the improper configuration by Yamaha.
Regulations and responsibilities
According to Article 2.4.4.9.1 of the regulations, it is the responsibility of the manufacturers to ensure that the sensors are correctly registered and that the measurement system operates before the competition. This is the first time that a team has faced such an omission since tire monitoring began during the 2023 season.
The MotoGP regulations also state that an error in configuration by a team does not automatically lead to a penalty for a rider. Checks are essential to determine the cause of the lack of data, whether technical or human error. In Quartararo’s case, the sensor was operational but not registered, which constitutes an error attributable to the team.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_e812c14e64335d201263349684369a2dfebedf6b