FIM MotoGP Stewards announce red light penalty verdict for Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez
Fines and a cancelled flying lap handed out for pit-lane incident at the start of Spanish MotoGP qualifying.
The FIM MotoGP Stewards have handed MotoGP title leader Marc Marquez a 2,000 euro fine and cancelled Alex Marquez's first flying lap for "exiting the pit lane while the pit lane was closed" at the start of Jerez qualifying.
Since Alex's best qualifying lap was his sixth of the session, it has no impact on his fourth-place grid start. The Gresini rider also received a 2,000 euro fine.
Marc Marquez was allowed to keep all of his laps because, unlike Alex, after crossing the exit line, "you then stopped until the pitlane opened [so] it was deemed that no unfair advantage was taken."
Marc lost his perfect run of 2025 MotoGP pole positions to Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo on Saturday.
But TV replays at the end of the session then showed that both Marc and Alex crossed the end-of-pit lane line moments before the green light officially signalled the start of Q2.
Speaking afterwards, Francesco Bagnaia - who qualified third behind team-mate Marc - hinted at a possible reshuffle if penalties were handed out.
“Let’s see if something will change because both Alex and Marc started with red lights still on at pit exit,” Bagnaia said.
"Maybe I can jump a position more in front. But in any case, I'm very happy because I think we did a very good job from yesterday to today and my feeling is very good.”
Marc Marquez insisted he reacted as quickly as he could when realising the error.
“If I get a penalty for that, forget the championship,” Marquez said. “Of course, I went out, but I stopped the bike because I thought that already would be green. I braked super hard and stopped.
“But OK, then we performed well on the racetrack, which is the most important, and we are again on the front row.
"Fabio did an amazing lap time - ’35.6, super fast - and we are there, super close. It will be a tight race between Fabio, Pecco and Alex.”
Alex Marquez, who was fourth fastest, did not brake as he crossed the pit exit line.
MotoGP Rules: Red Flag and Red Lights
"...When the pit-lane exit is closed, the light will be switched on, and the red flag may be used in conjunction with the official red light signal. Riders are not allowed to exit the pit lane."
While the rules also state, "No appeal may be lodged against a decision made by any judges of fact... including pit exit line violation", there isn't a specific penalty for such an offence.
Marc Marquez is currently 17 points clear of Alex at the top of the MotoGP standings, with Bagnaia - winner of the Spanish Grand Prix for the past three seasons - a further nine points behind.
The 12-lap Jerez Sprint race starts at 3pm local time.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
