The red flag raised by the Race Direction just before the start in Austin ultimately proved that Marc Márquez’s strategy was correct, penalizing those who had accurately chosen slick tires.

Chaos engulfed the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, all thanks to Márquez. With less than a minute to go before the warm-up lap, the Spanish rider abandoned his Ducati, which was fitted with wet tires, and sprinted to the garage to jump onto his second bike, equipped with slicks. Seeing rider #93 leave his position and his bike behind, as many as nine other riders instinctively followed suit, creating a massive mess as they ran up and down pit lane in complete disorder.

Motorsport.com understands that this turmoil caused significant tension and disagreements within Race Direction, ultimately leading to the red flag being raised for safety reasons. This decision nullified everything that had happened up to that point, including any potential penalties for those responsible for the confusion.

“We requested a delay and then a quick restart procedure due to safety concerns. With the number of riders, bikes, and personnel in the pit lane, it was impossible to start the warm-up lap,” said Race Director Mike Webb. “Restarting was the safest way to handle this unprecedented situation. We will analyze the circumstances with the teams and review the regulations,” he added.

The person most relieved by this decision was Márquez, who had executed his strategy perfectly. “I tried to get others to follow me, and it worked. I knew that if more than ten riders copied me, the start would be canceled. And that’s exactly what happened,” the Catalan rider stated after finishing a race in which he crashed out on lap nine while comfortably leading.

To justify his strategy, Márquez emphasized the risks involved and the potential penalty he would have faced had those nine riders not followed him. “I would have started last, but with the right tires. And that would have saved me time compared to having to pit and swap bikes,” he explained.

However, in reality, Márquez and his team misjudged the situation slightly.

Confusion Surrounding the Starting Regulations

The relevant rule in the sporting regulations is Article 1.18.7, which pertains to start procedures just before the warm-up lap when riders leave the grid “for weather-related reasons”—precisely the scenario that prompted Márquez’s sprint in Austin.

“Riders changing tires for weather-related reasons at this point […] will start the warm-up lap from the pit lane, take their qualifying position on the starting grid, and will be subject to a ‘ride-through’ penalty as determined by Race Direction (usually within the first three laps of the race),” according to the regulation. This rule was first amended after the 2018 Argentine Grand Prix when Jack Miller found himself alone on the grid while the rest of the riders had gathered in pit lane.

This rule change was implemented to prevent those who initially chose the correct tires from being disadvantaged. It differs from the regulation regarding riders leaving the track, which was revised after the weather-affected 2024 Japanese Grand Prix.

In Austin, the riders who had initially opted for dry-weather tires were Enea Bastianini, Brad Binder, and Ai Ogura.

Thus, Márquez should have received a “ride-through” penalty. However, the red flag raised by Race Direction nullified everything that had happened up to that point and forced a new start procedure—this time under the quick restart protocol.