Images of Marc Marquez's mechanic holding the clutch lever as the Spaniard chᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚanged bikes during Sunday's German MotoGP caused some to jump to the wrong conclusion.

A directive issued to teams prior to the൲ event stated that, for safety reasons, the rider must put the second bike into gear himself when he switches🗹 machines.

Previously the second bike could be put into gear bef🌳ore the rider arrived, increasing the risk of a pit lane incident during the handover.

Although the mechanic was holding the clutch lever, da🦋ta confirmed that it had been race winner Marquez who put the bike iꩲnto gear.

MotoGP race director Mike Webb explained: "Marquez did it in warm-up (pictured) so we went along and [Repsol Honda] said, 'we hold the clutch lever so he can jump on the bike and put it into g💯ear as he goes'.

🐈"So the bike is in neutral when he arrives and they are following exact❀ly the directive that I've given them, which is; the rider puts the bike into gear.

"I asked Danny෴ [Aldridge, technical director] to check the data and confirm that it was in neutral. So I'm happy that tꦦhe change was fine, they knew what they were doing and knew the rules."