MotoGP’s controversial tyre pressure rule is under fire again following Maverick Viñales’ heartbreaking post-race penalty at the Qatar GP, which dropped him from a podium finish to 14th place.
Viñales had stunned everyone by leading the race despite KTM’s poor weekend. But that unexpected clean air at the front may have caused his tyre pressure to drop below the required threshold—resulting in a harsh 16-second penalty.
Experts are calling the penalty system “a nightmare” that punishes riders who perform above expectations. “If you do a much better race than anyone expects, you end up being penalised,” MotoGP editor Pete McLaren said.
Critics argue the system kills underdog stories and that Michelin should have simply made a better front tyre rather than enforce such strict limits. The rule demands a minimum tyre pressure be maintained for 60% of the race—something teams often estimate blindly before the race starts.
“This rule doesn’t allow for surprises,” added Crash.net’s Lewis Duncan. “Tech3 never expected Maverick to be leading, so they set the pressures thinking he’d be in the pack. He rode brilliantly—and got punished for it.”
Calls are growing for a more flexible, real-time system or graded penalties instead of a flat 16-second hit that ruins races after they’re over.
Should MotoGP rethink its tyre pressure rules before it ruins more great stories?
