Thai MotoGP: Alex Rins punished for unusual technical infringement
‘…This then allowed the possibility to access GPS, which is banned in MotoGP’
On Saturday morning at the 2025 Thai MotoGP season opener, the FIM Stewards announced that all the Friday lap times for Monster Yamaha’s Alex Rins have been cancelled due to an unusual technical infringement.
The Spaniard’s M1 was found to be using “a X2 Race Link unit… that had not been approved by official Timekeeping. This then allowed the possibility to access GPS, which is banned in MotoGP.”
It is thought the Yamaha unit was from testing and, even if it would have been legal, the crucial mistake was not getting it officially approved for use in a grand prix event.
With GPS allowed only for TV, teams have to use other methods to determine the live location of their bikes on the track - needed for things like corner-by-corner set-up of the electronics.
The official rules on GPS are as follows:
GPS
In the MotoGP class, satellite Global Positioning Systems (GPS and similar) are not permitted, except those GPS units supplied by the Organisers and used for their media and promotional purposes.
The use of the Airbag’ GPS is permitted within the rider’s race suit with the sole purpose to allow both the suit manufacturers and the organisers to analyse crash data. It is strictly forbidden for the GPS data to be shared with manufacturers, teams, or riders.
No GPS or similar system may be connected (wired or wireless) to any part of the machine, other than as directed by the Championship Organiser (hereinafter “Organiser”). Specifically it is prohibited to control any aspect of engine or motorcycle performance using the GPS signal.
With Rins only 18th fastest on Friday, and therefore outside of the top ten for direct Qualifying 2 access, the lap cancellations have no real impact.
However, “for any future transgressions of this type any future transgressions of this type the FIM MotoGP Stewards may impose further or heavies penalties.”
The main parts of the FIM Stewards’ statement can be seen below:
Motive
On 28th February 2025 during both Free Practice 1 and Practice sessions of the PT GRAND PRIX OF THAILAND you were found used a X2 Race Link unit (serial Number 221715), that had not been approved by official Timekeeping. This then allowed the possibility to access GPS, which is banned in MotoGP™. This contravenes Articles 2.4.3.5.1 and 2.4.4.2 of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Regulations.
Sanction
For the above reasons, the FIM MotoGP™ Stewards Panel has imposed on you the cancellation of the lap times where the X2 Race Link unit did not comply, according to Article 3.2.1 of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Regulations - Disciplinary and Arbitration Code. (in accordance with articles 3.2.1 and 3.3.2.3)
Note: for any future transgressions of this type the FIM Moto GP™ Stewards may impose further or heavies penalties.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
