Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

A recent FIM press release announced that the Grand Prix Commission, consisting of Dorna Chairman Carmelo Ezpeleta, Calude Danis of the FIM, Sito Pons of IRTA, Takanao Tsubouchi of MSMA and Paul Butler, the Commission’s secretary, decided to amend the World Championship Grand Prix Regulations and put the new regulations into immediate action.

In a June 26 meeting held at Assen, the Commission unanimously approved the following:

Interruption of a race

1.25.4
If the results calculated show that two-thirds of the original race distance rounded down to the nearest whole number of laps have been completed by the leader of the race and by all other riders on the same lap as the leader, then for the 125cc and the 250cc classes the race will be deemed to have been completed and full Championship points will be awarded. For the MotoGP class, the race will be re-started with the laps and times of the two races added together to arrive at a final result. If it is found impossible to re-start the race, then the results will count and full Championship points will be awarded.


(The new rule enraged many riders, who knew nothing of the change to require a restart until the rule was announced, and who had not chance to offer any input.)