Marc Márquez and the chaos on the grid: "I know the rules very well"

Moments before the formation lap, the #93 Ducati rider ran to the pit lane to jump on his second bike, which was equipped with slick tires. A passing shower had indeed ended, and with the majority of the grid still on wet tires, changing tires seemed like the right choice. The confusing situation was becoming similar to that of the 2018 Argentine Grand Prix. That day, Jack Miller was the only rider on the grid to have put on slick tires. When all his rivals came in to change tires, they found themselves starting from the back of the grid... leaving Miller all alone on pole position, 23 places ahead of his closest pursuer!

It was precisely this 2018 Grand Prix that led to a reform of the regulations. These now stipulate that if more than ten drivers leave the starting grid to change tires, the start procedure is canceled and the start postponed. Well aware of the rule changes, Marc Márquez was well aware of this new provision. The driver, who was still leading the championship at the time, attempted a bluff, hoping to have the start postponed so he could regain his place on pole position, with the right tires for the 19-lap race ahead.

Looking back at this moment 👀 @marcmarquez93 wasn't sat on the bike and decided to bolt back to the pits #AmericasGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/1SxFj03R5u

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) March 30, 2025

"I know the rules very well, and how to be on the limit at all times.", he explained to the official MotoGP website. "Seven minutes before the start, I asked my chief mechanic Marco Rigamonti if the second bike was ready. He told me it was, and I replied that I might be leaving the grid. I knew that starting on wet tires wasn't the right strategy. I predicted that when I started, more than ten riders would follow me and they would have to stop the race. That's what happened."

"Not correct" for Bastianini

Marc Márquez's jogging session immediately attracted a large part of the peloton, until Maverick Viñales (Tech3 KTM) found himself on foot and without a bike on the starting grid. Race control therefore preferred to play it safe by waving the red flag. A new start procedure was therefore initiated, with the original starting grid. A stroke of luck for those who hadn't made the right tire choice, a disappointment for those who had tried.

"From my point of view it is not correct, because I took the risk of putting on slick tires, for example railed Enea Bastianini (Tech3 KTM)When Marc and the others left the grid, they decided to restart the race, but with the same grid positions. For me, that's not right." For his part, rookie Ai Ogura (Trackhouse Aprilia) was rather disappointed not to have been able to defend his excellent chances: "I had slicks, so I had a good chance, but the race director postponed the start. I'm sorry for my team; we made the right choice, but unfortunately we weren't able to benefit from it. It's a shame, but that's how it is."

MotoGP Race Director Mike Webb explained the logic behind the decision: " We decided on a deadline and then a rapid departure procedure. due to safety concerns. Given the number of riders, bikes, and staff on the grid and in the pit lane, it was impossible to start the warm-up lap. A restart was the safest way to respond to these unprecedented circumstances.

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