That is right: missing a promotional event on a grand prix weekend can now ruin a rider's actual race. According to a confidential email sent to teams by the International Race Team Association at the Australian Grand Prix and seen by The Race, new rules mean riders face time suspended from practice sessions and even grid penalties for skipping mandated PR activities.
Here is the thing, as the report outlines. The strict escalation process was introduced after repeated instances of non-compliance, aimed at ensuring commitments made to fans, commercial partners, and event organisers are respected. The policy follows an incident at the Japanese Grand Prix earlier this month where reigning world champion Marc Marquez refused to participate in a Sunday morning go-kart race, even going as far as initially sending a stunt double before being caught and reprimanded by series bosses.
The penalty scale is progressive and unforgiving. A first offence for missing the Thursday press conference, pre-race promotional activities, the Sunday morning riders’ parade, autograph sessions, or the Hero Walk brings an official warning. A second offence hits the rider with a €5,000 fine, which increases to €10,000 for a third offence and €15,000 for a fourth offence alongside an official warning from the FIM MotoGP Stewards.
Things get properly serious at the fifth and sixth hurdles. A fifth offence results in riders being docked time from a practice session, while a sixth offence means Simon Crafar’s stewarding team will hand out a grid penalty. The document notes that exceptions will be made for injuries, required medical attention, or prior PR commitments agreed with teams. However, late arrivals and early departures are strictly treated as complete failures to attend.
Speaking after the Motegi weekend where the controversy kicked off, Marquez defended his priorities with absolute clarity. While he acknowledged the importance of the show, especially with new focus brought by Liberty Media, he drew a firm line on what matters most. “There is a bit of a line,” he stated. “Obviously I understand the show, but we are fighting for the championship, we’re not here to mess around or go around in kart races. After the warm-up I needed ice, and someone came out and said it would be cool to send a doppelganger, and we did it. They told me off, but at this moment you have to be selfish and perform at your maximum when it matters, which is in the races.”
More changes are already looming on the horizon. Rule modifications for 2027 will scrap Sunday morning warm-up sessions entirely to carve out more space for promotional activities. Meanwhile, at the Phillip Island event, riders are scheduled to use electric mini jeeps for the fan parade.
