The risk of a tyre pressure penalty means that even riders who are out of reach of their opponents can no longer afford to back off in the closing stages of a MotoGP race.
The reason for riders not slowing down during the race is because slowing down increases the chance of the tire cooling and the pressure dropping below the minimum required for a certain percentage of racing laps. If a rider has already used up their official warning and is later found to be under pressure, slowing down would also increase the potential damage to their race result from a post-race penalty. If a rider drops more than 3 seconds behind the bike in front and the rider ahead is later penalized for low tire pressure, they will not benefit. There are many factors to consider, such as building a 3-second lead in case of a penalty, not falling behind in cooler air to avoid warnings or penalties, and managing the balance between pushing too hard and risking a fall. Currently, 13 riders, including title contenders, have used up their official warning, and only one rider has received a post-race penalty so far.
