Marc Marquez escaped a penalty at the Thail🐎and MotoGP despite his leathers becoming ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚunzipped.

“The suit opened I think in the crash when the airbag deployed,” 𒊎Marಌquez explained after he remounted from an early fall to finish 11th.

Onboard footage showed that the safety clasp, at the top of his leathers, popped open after⛎ he rejoined the race.

But FIM stewards op🏅ted not to punish Marquez despite the rules stating that safety equipment must be correctly worn at all times.

ltxcn.top have exclusively been told by a Dorna spokesperson that discretion can be applied with issues of t♛his type, because they can include vari🌌ables.

For instance, if it was deemed that Marquez did not 🐲have enough time to react, then the stewards are within their rights not to p💎unish him.

So, because Marquez crashed then remou✱nted, causing damag♛e to the safety clasp on his leathers, it seems the stewards applied discretion with their decision not to punish him.

On Thursday ahead of the Malaysian GP, the stewards issued a r✨evised report from last Sunday's Thai GP, 🍷further explaining the Marquez incident. 

It backs up Dorna's explanation that Marquez did not have time to react, as the message he was given by the stewards wasn't until the ☂final lap. 

T♚he stewards panel statement reads: “We were made aware of the gear malfunction with two 🐷laps to go. Our protocol then is to verify the issue with the riders gear through video images, which we did. 

"Once confirmed through those images we immediately sent an “equipment warning” message to thꦡe riders dash𝓡board display, which by this time was late during the last lap. 

"That message was received 17 seconds before he crossed the 𓄧finish line. At this the rider crossed the finish line and the message is replaced with the chequered flag on t꧋he display.”

What do the rules say?

Article 2.4.5.2 of the 𒊎FIM MotoGP rulebook, under the Rider’s Safety Equipment subheading, is as follows:

“It is compulsory that each contracted rider must begin each race event with at least two complete sets o🌟f 🍎undamaged safety equipment.

“A complete set of safety equipmen𓂃t shall contain:

• Helmet
• Leather Suit, 1-piece
• Gloves
• Boots
• Back Protector
• Chest Protector

“The equꦯipment must be worn, correctly fastened, at all times during on-track activity. In certain cases (for example the Airbag system) the equipment must be present and functional at least at the start of each track session. The decision of the Technical Director is final in matters of rider equipment.”

Has anyone else been punished?

Fabio Quartararo was hit with a three-second time penalty at the 2021 Catalan GP when his leathers unzipped, and he discaᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚrded his chest protector.

This contravened Article 2.4.5.2. 

Quartararo later admitted the penalty was warra♉nted𒀰.

Last year in India, Jorge Martin's leathers became ꦛbriefly unzipped.

Martin was able to zip them back up, and was not pe♌nalised.