It shouldn’t have happened but unfortunately it did. Aleix Espargaró lost positions following the Thailand GP, ‘stung’ because his Michelin front tyre fell below the values permitted by the revised regulation. The Spaniard had three seconds added to his race time, which saw him slide from fifth to eighth position. Jorge Martin has also received a warning which means that, if it happens again, he too will be punished.

MotoGP and hyper-sensitive tyres – high temperatures to blame

Michelin MotoGP manager Piero Taramasso explains the phenomenon: "Considering the accepted operating temperatures, air and track temperatures, braking power, wings, appendages and lowering devices, the front tyre is subject to extreme stresses, at a level unknown until a few seasons ago. The significant aerodynamic turbulence and slipstreams generate temperatures that were previously unthinkable. That’s why we need to be careful.”

Taramasso continues: "I know the riders want to prevent the pressure from hitting the roof. But this isn’t our responsibility and neither is it theirs. It’s a combination of factors, hard to control and contain. When the front tyre overheats, the rider loses sensitivity. But we also have the opposite problem".

From high to low, but not too low: “It would be risky to lower front tyre pressure excessively, as the structure itself could malfunction or even rupture. So for safety reasons, we now have a rule that must be respected."

Penalties and possible outcomes: MotoGP classification at risk

As we’ve said, Aleix Espargaro has already paid the price, his Aprilia already falling below the minimum level in Indonesia, where he received a warning, before the penalty came in Thailand. Pol Espargaró, Marc Marquez and Jorge Martin all received a warning at Buriram.

So the GASGAS, Repsol HRC and Prima Pramac technicians will need to be very careful because, if it happens again, they’ll receive a penalty. And if we consider the characteristics of the Sepang and Lusail tracks, we wouldn't be surprised if someone else were to fall victim.

There are long straights and high temperatures in Malaysia and Qatar, which means teams will need to pay close attention to bike setup and tyre pressure. Imagine what would happen if, for example, #89 were to make a similar error for a second time while fihgting for the title. The same goes for any rider in the reigning class of course.

Valencia and the MotoGP grand finale: hopefully it will be the racing that decides

Another reason why teams and riders prefer low front tyre pressures has to do with sensitivity and handling. When the tyre deforms, the rider can enter the turn more easily while hard on the brakes, exploiting the larger footprint.

But if the pressure is high, the type is like a lump of rock, impossible to "feel" on the straight, let alone through the corners. The Ricardo Tormo circuit comprises a series of turns, many of which the rider enters while hard on the brakes.

And if you think that the rule outlined here is too "prudential", understand why: aware that temperatures will normally raise the pressure of tyres, Dorna and the FIM reason that, if the figure is found to be low, imagine what it was when the race began…