The Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, served as an eventful third round of the 2025 MotoGP season. Polesitter Marc Marquez made an unexpected last-minute decision, abandoning his wet-spec bike on the grid and sprinting to the pit lane to hop onto his dry-spec bike. His sudden move triggered a chain reaction, with nine other riders following suit. However, race organizers issued a red flag for safety reasons and decided on a fresh start.
As if that wasn’t enough chaos, the start of the race was marred by yet another unexpected incident, this time involving something with four wheels. Yes, the MotoGP safety car crashed before the green lights. Footage shot by a spectator shows the new BMW M5 losing control and smashing head-on into the side barriers. What went wrong? Well, it could be a number of things. The available grip may have been impacted by the damp surface, possibly exacerbated by cold tires.
Although the M5 features xDrive as standard, it still has a dedicated 2WD mode like its predecessor. When it’s active, the 717 horsepower delivered by the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 engine and electric motor is sent exclusively to the rear wheels. Perhaps the driver was overly enthusiastic with the throttle while exiting turn 14 and lost control of the Bavarian missile? That said, it’s unclear whether the rear-wheel-drive mode was on. Either way, not even the carbon-ceramic brakes could stop the 5,390-pound sedan in time.
It’s actually not the first time that an M5 dressed up as a MotoGP safety car is involved in a crash. During the warmup lap for the 2017 Grand Prix of Perez, the previous-generation model smashed into the barrier with Italian rider Franco Uncini behind the wheel. BMW has been supplying MotoGP safety cars since 1999, and it’s running an M5 Touring as well this year. However, nothing beats the elegance of the Z8 roadster from the 2002 season.
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