MotoGP: €5,000 fine for riders who skip the Hero Walk

MotoGP wants riders to honour their fan commitments. At Mandalika, ahead of the Indonesian Grand Prix on 11 October 2026, teams were told that riders who miss promotional events will pay a €5,000 fine per missed event. Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta are already criticising the measure.

What the rule says

The main event concerned is the Hero Walk, a 20-minute photo and autograph session held on Sunday morning. Riders must spend at least ten minutes there.

• Fine: €5,000 per missed event
• Rising scale: fines increase for repeat offences
• Possible sporting penalties: Motorsport.com mentions grid penalties or penalty points in the overall standings

According to Crash.net, the championship had been monitoring low rider participation at these events for several weeks before acting.

First absences noted at Mandalika

Motorsport.com reports that, in temperatures above 30°C, several notable absences were recorded on site. The first fines were therefore expected this weekend.

Riders push back

Several riders reacted, with very different positions:

• Pedro Acosta finds the idea of removing points or grid places for a missed event absurd.
• Marc Márquez says the show should stay on track, not outside it. He says he wants MotoGP to grow but believes riders are asked to do too much. He adds that the events are only occasional and that riders adapt, even though they do not make the decisions.
• Álex Márquez points out that riders are pushed to their limits by more races and events.
• Enea Bastianini says his team had not told him and suggests a riders' association, as in F1.
• Álex Rins proposes holding such events in a covered venue, out of consideration for riders' condition.
• Fabio Quartararo declined to take a position.

The Márquez case

Marc Márquez sent a stand-in to a karting event in Japan the week before, explaining that he needed to rest his shoulder. That absence did not trigger the measure: it had been monitored for weeks. After finishing sixth at Mandalika, he warned that the workload will increase in 2027 with the new race weekend format and sprint qualifying.

What remains unclear

The sources give neither the details of the sporting penalties nor the date from which the heaviest sanctions apply. The topic is likely to stay open at the coming Grands Prix.

Key points

• €5,000 fine per missed fan event
• Hero Walk: at least ten minutes' attendance
• Sporting penalties mentioned, details not confirmed
• Acosta and the Márquez brothers voice reservations