Guintoli disqualified from Friday for 2020 engine

Suzuki wild-card rider Sylvain Guintoli has been disqualified from yesterday's MotoGP practice sessions at Motegi, due to use of a 2020 engine.

The team were quite open about the Frenchman's use of a prototype engine at this weekend's Japanese MotoGP, but the FIM Stewards Panel have pointed out that 'using a 2020 engine specification… contravenes Article 2.4.6.2 of the Grand Prix Regulations'.

Article 2.4.6.2 reads as follows:

Guintoli disqualified from Friday for 2020 engine

Suzuki wild-card rider Sylvain Guintoli has been disqualified from yesterday's MotoGP practice sessions at Motegi, due to use of a 2020 engine.

The team were quite open about the Frenchman's use of a prototype engine at this weekend's Japanese MotoGP, but the FIM Stewards Panel have pointed out that 'using a 2020 engine specification… contravenes Article 2.4.6.2 of the Grand Prix Regulations'.

Article 2.4.6.2 reads as follows:

Wild Card entries using machines from an MSMA manufacturer currently entered in the MotoGP class are subject to all technical regulations related to their specific manufacturer, including engine specification, ECU hardware and software, sensor approval and free device checking.

In other words, Guintoli has to use the same sealed engines as regular Suzuki riders Alex Rins and Joan Mir.

Since Guintoli was only 20th after Friday's dry sessions, and therefore already heading for this afternoon's Qualifying 1 session, losing his lap times does not make any difference.

The Frenchman was then fifth fastest in the wet FP3 session on Saturday morning.

Riders from manufacturers benefitting from technical concessions, Aprilia and KTM, are not subject to the engine development freeze.

Japanese MotoGP - Free Practice (3) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime/DiffLapMax
1Danilo PetrucciITADucati Team (GP19)1'54.710s15/15300k
2Marc MarquezSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+0.174s8/16299k
3Franco MorbidelliITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.465s18/19294k
4Maverick ViñalesSPAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+0.748s18/19295k
5Sylvain GuintoliFRASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+0.880s9/15298k
6Andrea DoviziosoITADucati Team (GP19)+1.012s12/18303k
7Alex RinsSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)+1.086s18/18298k
8Fabio QuartararoFRAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)*+1.101s18/19293k
9Pol EspargaroSPARed Bull KTM Factory (RC16)+1.114s12/14294k
10Miguel OliveiraPORRed Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16)*+1.150s18/19294k
11Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)*+1.262s18/18300k
12Valentino RossiITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)+1.520s14/18292k
13Mika KallioFINRed Bull KTM Factory (RC16)+1.533s19/19295k
14Aleix EspargaroSPAFactory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+1.687s12/14293k
15Takaaki NakagamiJPNLCR Honda (RC213V)+1.827s17/18294k
16Karel AbrahamCZEReale Avintia Ducati (GP18)+2.099s15/17298k
17Cal CrutchlowGBRLCR Honda (RC213V)+2.102s18/18293k
18Jack MillerAUSPramac Ducati (GP19)+2.130s7/9299k
19Francesco BagnaiaITAPramac Ducati (GP18)*+2.466s18/19301k
20Andrea IannoneITAFactory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)+2.516s13/16294k
21Hafizh SyahrinMALRed Bull KTM Tech3 (RC16)+2.845s13/18293k
22Jorge LorenzoSPARepsol Honda (RC213V)+2.895s15/15295k
23Tito RabatSPAReale Avintia Ducati (GP18)+3.911s12/17296k

 

Riders going directly to Qualifying 2 - Top 10 Combined Practice Times:
PosRiderNatTeam
1Fabio QuartararoFRAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)*
2Maverick VinalesESPMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
3Marc MarquezESPRepsol Honda (RC213V)
4Andrea DoviziosoITADucati Team (GP19)
5Valentino RossiITAMonster Yamaha (YZR-M1)
6Franco MorbidelliITAPetronas Yamaha (YZR-M1)
7Jack MillerAUSPramac Ducati (GP19)
8Danilo PetrucciITADucati Team (GP19)
9Joan MirSPASuzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)*
10Aleix EspargaroESPFactory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)

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