MotoGP's new crash rule to take effect in 2026

In a bid to increase safety, the new rule states that riders whose engines cut out during any session as a result of a crash can only restart their bikes with assistance from behind the safety barriers of a given circuit.

The rule is designed to reduce the time track marshals spend exposed to danger by helping riders to restart their bikes.

Last season, as with any other season, saw the occasional row between riders and marshalls as they disputed whether the bike was safe enough to continue racing, now the power of marshalls to make such decisions has been increased. 

Such prolonged exchanges, which often take place in dangerous areas of the race track, certainly aren't ideal from a safety standpoint - especially for the marshals who are considerably less protected in the event of an accident.

The 2025 German Grand Prix was a good example of the danger posed to marshalls, particularly when Lorenzo Savadori's Aprilia went skidding through the gravel at high speed while a cluster of marshalls attended to an earlier incident involving Joan Mir and Ai Ogura.

Similarly, Pedro Acosta's near-miss with a camera man at the Hungarian Grand Prix was another stark reminder of the dangers faced by those working trackside on and around the circuits.

Under the new regulations, crashes would be more costly as they could potentially cause riders to take a longer amount of time to rejoin in the event of an engine stall.

Reactions to the new ruling have been mixed so far, but 2024 World Champion Jorge Martin gave his thoughts on the change:

"I think it won't change a lot [in qualifying]. Because normally you cannot continue with the same bike, so you just go to get the other one." said the Aprilia man at the team's launch event in Milan, "I think this rule can be an issue in wet races when even if you crash twice [and have to restart the bike], you can finish 12th. But in general, I think it's good for safety." 

Check out the full calendar for the coming 2026 MotoGP season here.

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