MotoGP, Grand Prix Commission: wild-cards to return in all classes in 2021

The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Paul Duparc (FIM), Herve Poncharal (IRTA), Davide Brivio (Suzuki), Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati), Romano Albesiano (Aprilia), Mike Leitner (KTM), Takeo Yokoyama (Honda) and Lin Jarvis (Yamaha), in the presence of Jorge Viegas (FIM President), Carlos Ezpeleta (Dorna), Mike Trimby (IRTA, Secretary of the meeting), Mike Webb (Race Director), Corrado Cecchinelli (Director of Technology), Jean-Paul Gombeaud (FIM Sporting Director) and Franck Vayssié (FIM CCR Director), in a meeting held in Portimao on 20 November 2020, made the following decisions regarding the 2021 sporting regulations:

YELLOW FLAGS - Riders who see a yellow flag displayed are required to slow down to protect fallen riders and attending marshals. The Commission introduced into the regulations the current policy already being implemented by Race Direction. Riders passing a yellow flag in a practice session will have the time for that lap cancelled.

SPEEDING IN PIT LANE - The penalty for speeding in pit lane during a race has been changed to a 2 x long lap penalty. The previous penalty was a ride through. (The FIM Stewards retain the right to impose further or different penalties, for example for excessively high speed).

SECURITY DEPOSITS FOR PROTESTS AND APPEALS - The regulations have been amended to formalise current practice. Any person or body making a protest or appeal will always have their security deposit returned in the event that the protest or appeal is successful. (Note: It is also current practice that any security deposits that are forfeited go to a fund administered by the FIM for eventual use for good causes).

WILD CARD ENTRIES - Due to Covid-19 restrictions, wild card entries were cancelled in 2020. For 2021 wild cards will be permitted in all classes with a maximum of two per class at each event. However, as was previously the case for Moto2 wild cards, Moto3 wild card entries will only be considered when operated by an existing Moto3 team.

BEST GRAND PRIX OF 2020 - The Commission decided that, due to the disruption caused to the calendar by the pandemic, no event would be declared as the Best Grand Prix. Instead, a special trophy will be presented to all of the ten circuits who had hosted events in 2020 in recognition of the tremendous efforts they had made to support the Championship in difficult times.