The Indonesian Grand Prix at the Mandalika circuit turned into a drama on Friday, 9 October 2026, when Yamaha rider Alex Rins crashed at the final corner of the Saturday practice session. With only two minutes remaining in the timed session, his bike could not be restarted on-track under the new MotoGP rule that mandates a rider to evacuate to an escape road if the engine dies after a fall. Faced with a ticking clock, Rins sought the quickest way back to the garage.
How the transport dispute unfolded
Two flying marshals – officials equipped with lightweight scooters and a portable fire extinguisher (APAR) – were already positioned near the crash site. Rins climbed onto the back of one scooter, expecting a swift ride through the tunnel to the paddock. Instead, the marshal halted the scooter and engaged in a brief but tense dialogue with a second official who was also on the scene. The two marshals appeared to argue over whether Rins should be taken directly to the garage or escorted to a designated transit point.
Rins, visibly impatient, shouted, “No, the box!” while the marshal responded, “Jump in the car.” The disagreement escalated when the second marshal insisted on the transit point, prompting Rins to raise his middle finger toward the group. The gesture was captured on a smartphone video that quickly spread across social media platforms.
Rins’ reaction and his explanation
In the hours following the incident, Rins issued an apology on his social channels, acknowledging that the gesture was inappropriate, especially in front of younger fans. He described the episode as a “strange misunderstanding” and emphasized the stress he felt after the crash. “I was trying to get back to the box as fast as possible. The marshal wouldn’t let me go through the tunnel, and in a nervous moment I reacted badly,” he said.
Rins also clarified that the scooter involved was a regular “flying marshal” bike, not a “moto-taxi”, and that the marshal was likely performing his duties by refusing to abandon his post. He added that the marshal was carrying a fire extinguisher, a standard safety requirement for officials who must be ready to intervene in case of a fire.
Stewards’ response, regulations and precedent
The FIM stewards convened shortly after the practice session and held a brief discussion with Rins. They expressed surprise at the incident, noting that such an altercation with a marshal is unprecedented in recent MotoGP history. After reviewing the footage and hearing Rins’ account, the stewards decided that no formal penalty was warranted, labeling the episode a “misunderstanding” rather than an act of deliberate abuse.
While no sanction was imposed, the case revives attention to the sport’s strict code regarding respect for race officials. Earlier in 2025, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi received a suspension after striking a marshal in the Czech Grand Prix gravel trap. In 2025 as well, Yamaha teammate Fabio Quartararo was fined and served a ten-minute suspension for a similar verbal abuse of a marshal at Silverstone, after an earlier warning at the Spanish Grand Prix. Those precedents underline that the governing body treats any form of marshal abuse seriously.
Officials explained that the “flying marshal” system is designed to shuttle riders only to a pre-agreed transit point, after which a dedicated transport vehicle – often a moto-taxi – completes the journey to the pit lane. This protocol, included in the race’s safety plan is approved by the Race Director before the event starts. Deviating from it, as Rins experienced, can cause confusion, especially when timing is critical.
Rins’ apology, the stewards’ lenient handling, and the clarification of marshal duties together provide a clearer picture of what transpired on the Mandalika tarmac.
