Spanish MotoGP racer Jorge Martin clinched the second spot at the inaugural Indian MotoGP race held at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. However, Martin of Prima Pramac Racing might consider himself fortunate to have completed the Indian Grand Prix without facing any sanctions. During the closing stages of the race, Martin encountered an unexpected challenge when the zipper on his race leathers suddenly opened, revealing his chest. This incident occurred in violation of the series’ rulebook, which prohibits such occurrences.
MotoGP’s television cameras captured the moment when Jorge Martin’s leathers malfunctioned during the final laps of the race. An incident like this typically results in a black flag penalty. Notably, a similar situation happened to Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo during the Catalan Grand Prix two years ago, and he received a three-second penalty for an undone suit.
The rules governing rider equipment were subsequently revised to specify that “equipment must be worn, correctly fastened, at all times during” the race. This rule change could have led to a penalty for Jorge Martin at the Indian Grand Prix.
However, a different rule change appears to have saved Martin from a penalty. Race control issued a warning to the Spanish rider, prompting him to close up his leathers in response. This change in protocol allows race direction to communicate with riders on the dashboard, sending messages related to flag signals, penalties, and equipment issues.
“In the case of a problem or fastening undone on rider equipment, or something that’s not immediately a problem but needs to be fixed, it’s a different situation. So we have a new signal on the dashboard, it shows ‘equipment’ on the rider dashboard and the meaning has been explained to the riders and teams: there is a problem with your equipment and you’re required to fix it immediately,” explained race director Mike Webb, referencing the new signal system on riders’ dashboards.
Jorge Martin, in a race where extreme weather conditions and dehydration added to the challenges, managed to secure the second spot. He currently trails Francesco Bagnaia by 13 points in the overall standings. Martin’s ability to avoid a penalty despite the zipper malfunction allowed him to maintain his position during the race and remain competitive in the championship race.