Gresini Ducati MotoGP stand-in Michele Pirro has become the first rider to be penalised in 2026, after impeding team-mate Alex Marquez in Thai Grand Prix practice.
Gresini has had to call on the services of long-time Ducati MotoGP test rider Michele Pirro for the 2026 season-opener at Buriram due to injury for Fermin Aldeguer.
Last year’s top rookie missed the entirety of the pre-season and is not expected to return to action until round two in Brazil at the earliest, after he fractured his femur in a winter training incident.
Pirro has been deputising on the Gresini-run GP25 Ducati since last weekend’s Buriram test.
The Italian has earned the unenviable accolade of becoming the first rider to be penalised this season, following an incident with team-mate Alex Marquez during Practice.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Marquez was forced to abandon a flying lap when he came across Pirro riding slowly on the racing line.
The FIM MotoGP stewards immediately placed the incident under investigation, with impeding generally copping a punishment.
Though the incident ultimately didn’t stop Alex Marquez from advancing through to Q2 come the chequered flag in Practice, the stewards still took an unfavourable view on Pirro’s actions.
As such, he has been hit with a three-place grid penalty for this weekend’s Thai Grand Prix.
An excerpt from the stewards’ document read: “Following the penalty protocol issued to teams, this action was deemed to be an incident of type MGP-SR4: Slow riding on line during the last 20 minutes of Practice – disrupting another rider and directly affecting progression into Q2.”
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
MotoGP issued its new penalty protocol for the 2026 season on Thursday, with a number of areas being monitored this year.
The most significant change to stewarding comes in the form of crashed motorcycles, with riders now no longer allowed to restart their bikes on the circuit.
Riders must now restart crashed bikes on the service road.
This change has been brought in as a safety measure for riders and for the marshals.
Elsewhere, rules on overtaking under yellow flags have been tweaked, with riders now forced to give a position back by the end of the next sector from where the move happened.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT
Previously, riders were ordered to drop a position for overtaking under yellow flags, but this penalty has been increased to a long lap penalty for non-compliance.
Subscribe to our MotoGP Newsletter