The 2025 MotoGP round at the Circuit of the Americas was already shaping up to be a spectacle before a single lap was completed. But few could’ve predicted that the first headline-grabbing moment of the race wouldn’t come from the grid—or even from a motorcycle. Instead, it came from the official MotoGP safety car, a brand-new G90 BMW M5, which lost control and plowed into the barriers during the warm-up.
It all started with Marc Márquez, who threw the pre-race routine into disarray when he suddenly ditched his wet-spec bike on the starting grid and sprinted back to the pits to grab his dry-spec Honda. Within seconds, nearly a third of the grid followed his lead. Race control had little choice but to throw a red flag and call for a full restart.
Drifting Gone Wrong
But more drama unfolded just moments later, this time courtesy of the support vehicle meant to ensure rider safety. As the new G90 M5 began its demonstration lap, things went sideways—literally—between Turns 14 and 15. According to footage captured by a fan trackside, the car began to oversteer aggressively, holding a slide that, for a brief moment, looked intentional… until it wasn’t. The drift carried into the braking zone for Turn 15, where the driver appeared to lose it completely. The M5 snapped straight and slammed head-on into the barriers.
Trackside witnesses reported that the driver may have had the car in 2WD mode—designed for tail-happy fun—but with the surface still damp and the tires likely cold, it may have been a recipe for disaster. Despite the impact, the car managed to limp off under its own power and was later spotted parked near the marshal post at Turn 14. But based on the visible damage, many spectators suspect the car is a total loss.
Déjà Vu for BMW?
If this feels familiar, it’s because it isn’t the first time a BMW M5 has kissed a MotoGP barrier. In 2017, the previous-gen F90 M5 found itself in a similar incident at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez—ironically, also under safety car duty.
Since 1999, BMW has been the official car supplier for MotoGP, delivering everything from M2s to X5Ms, and even the stunning Z8 roadster used in 2002. This season, BMW brought out the big guns with the M5 Touring and the new hybrid M5 sedan. This week, only one of those cars remained intact. [Photo Credit: Cesar de Oliveira]
