Yamaha has forfeited its first top three finish of the 2024 MotoGP season due to a violation of tyre pressure regulations following the Portimao sprint. Fabio Quartararo, who started 23rd on the grid, crossed the line in third place after a chaotic 12-lap race that saw 15 riders crash. However, Quartararo received an eight-second time penalty, resulting in Dani Pedrosa, a KTM tester, being promoted to the podium. The penalty only affected Quartararo’s position relative to Pedrosa and Franco Morbidelli, his former Yamaha teammate.
This season, the front tyre pressure limit was lowered due to frequent infringements in the 2023 campaign. The penalties for such violations were significantly increased compared to the previous year, although disqualification was avoided. Pedrosa admitted that he was unaware of his position in the race while battling with Quartararo, which led him to take fewer risks. He believed they were fighting for sixth or seventh place, not third or fourth. Despite narrowly missing out on the podium by 0.050s, Pedrosa was satisfied with his performance, considering he started in 16th position.
It is important to note that sprint podium finishes do not contribute to the overall MotoGP tally. Therefore, Pedrosa now has one sprint podium finish in addition to his impressive record of 112 podium finishes in the premier class.