MotoGP has officially announced that its new ‘Long Lap Penalty’ system will be in use from the opening grand prix of the 2019 season in Qatar.
As previously reported by Autosport, the decision was made to implement the new system following a successful trial in Qatar testing and positive rider feedback.
It involves riders having to pass through a specifically-marked area that will lead to a time loss of several seconds. In Qatar, this was located on the asphalt run-off outside of the Turn 6 hairpin.
The hope is that this will lead to more consistent time losses than the method of forcing riders to drop one position, although this punishment will remain available to the stewards as well.
In a statement issued on Friday, further details of how the system will operate were revealed.
Riders handed a ‘Long Lap Penalty’ will have three laps to serve it, although “procedures will be in place to enable the stewards to use an equivalent time penalty in case the rider is unable to complete the Long Lap,” such as if a race is red-flagged.
It was also stated that the punishment is “primarily intended for track limits violations”, but also that it can be deployed in “any circumstances deemed appropriate by the stewards”.