MotoGP's governing body FIM has announced a new penalty points system in response to the controversy which surrounded Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez at the season finale last year.
Rossi was handed three penalty points following a clash with Marquez, taking him to a total of four. He was therefore dropped to the back of the grid for the start of the race, massively reducing his chances of taking the title.
FIM has tweaked the system for 2016, with riders only being punished when they reach a total of ten penalty points, rather than four. However the penalty will be harsher, with a race ban handed down when a rider reaches that tally.
Points will only expire after a year, or after a race ban has been served.
"The interim penalties previously triggered after accumulating four or seven points, no longer apply," said an FIM statement.
"Penalty points will continue to be recorded against the record of the rider for 365 days. However, when a rider has accumulated 10 or more points and suffered a disqualification, 10 points are removed from his record."
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