P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Pedro Acosta became the first rider sanctioned under MotoGP’s new qualifying rule in the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang – and made the case for why the rule is inherently difficult to follow
Pedro Acosta became the first rider to receive a sanction under MotoGP’s new qualifying rule at the Malaysian Grand Prix in Sepang, highlighting the inherent challenges with the rule. The rule, prohibiting riders from rejoining the session after a crash in the final three minutes, aims to prevent unsportsmanlike conduct and potential track disruption. While rookie Fermin Aldeguer also faced a similar situation in Q1, he abandoned his attempt to rejoin and avoided penalty. Acosta, however, successfully rejoined in Q2 after crashing, earning a financial penalty of €2000 but retaining his grid position. Despite initial frustration, Acosta accepted the penalty, emphasizing the difficulties riders face in such situations and the need for mutual understanding with race officials. Although the lack of a competitive penalty for Acosta may seem contradictory to the rule’s intent, a detailed session analysis indicated that his actions did not impede other riders, justifying the monetary sanction.
