This is the new system to fight for pole position in MotoGP

Since their return from the long vacation in July, the pilots of the star category have encountered a major change in the MotoGP sporting regulations. Now they play it all or nothing for their place in the top-10 which allows them to fight for pole position in one session, on Friday afternoon.

The agreement was adopted unanimously by the teams in the MotoGP category on Thursday in Assen and a few days later, on July 17, the GP Commission approved the proposal with immediate effect. Since the last British GP at Silverstone, the first after the holidays, they have been released.

The first practice session in the premier class is no longer timed for qualifying and access to Q2, but is used to work on setting up the bike. It still lasts 45 minutes and is now called Free Practice 1 (FP1).

The second 60-minute practice session on Friday has been renamed Practice and is now the only timed practice session to go into Q2 and Q1.

The 30-minute session on Saturday morning is called Free Practice 2 (FP2) and serves as preparation for the afternoon test and the weekend races.

Between the Grand Prix of Great Britain and the current one in Austria, the regulations have been retouched to specify what happens if that ‘Practice’ session is canceled due to weather or track conditions.

In case of cancellation

If this is cancelled, Saturday morning’s MotoGP session will be a Practice session instead of Free Practice and will determine entry into Q1 and Q2. If it is also not possible to celebrate this, the results of FP1 will be used to determine access.

In the exceptional case that no training session can be held, this will be considered a case of force majeure and then the Race Direction will adjust the program and procedure as necessary, taking into account the prevailing conditions.