A controversy erupted at the 2024 Motocross of Nations when Team USA protested Australia’s Hunter Lawrence for wiping the start grate, something they believed was against the rules. According to Paul Peribijnos on Matthes’ Renthal Podcast, USA had asked an FIM official before the race and were told that wiping the grate or gate was prohibited.
However, during the third moto, both Lawrence and Spain’s Jorge Prado were seen wiping the start grate. USA only protested Lawrence, not Prado, which raised questions. During the race, an FIM official told Lawrence that wiping the grate was allowed, revealing that Team USA had been misinformed.
Peribijnos, who defended the protest, noted that USA acted based on the information they had and speculated Australia might have done the same if the roles were reversed. He also expressed hope that Australia wasn’t offended by the protest. Fans, however, questioned why only Lawrence was singled out and whether the protest made any real difference in the race’s outcome.
Had the protest resulted in a win for USA, it could have sparked major controversy, but ultimately, the incident highlights the need for clearer rules and more caution when making protests.
Get the full interview and more detail on the issue with Steve Matthes and Paul Perebijinos below:
