thrillingly lunatic new sprint
races, where riders throw cau-
tion to the winds in an intensely
concentrated
gallop, which (to
anyone who has ever been club
racing or enjoyed all-action
speedway or flat track) is the
very essence of real uncluttered
motorcycle racing.
Proper racing, you might call
it, with no recourse to anything
other than riding skill—no tire
management, fuel conservancy
or any physical tactics other
than getting your elbows out.
Given the slew of injuries in
the premier class alone so far
(Enea Bastianini, Pol Espar
-
garo, Marc Marquez and Miguel
Oliveira
out after one GP, now
also Joan Mir during the sec-
ond) it is chilling to think how
much worse
it might have been
without the stewards' calming
influence.
But they are not making any
friends.
It's not so much the penaliz-
ing that offends. Clearly lunatic
riding
must be held in check.
Although some measures
seem overly pedantic—such
as punishing a flicker of move-
ment that gains no advantage
as
a "jump start" with a double
long-lap penalty or dropping one
place for merely brushing the
outside edge of the paint on the
last lap. This last punishment
also messes not only with the
finishing order, but also rider
tactics.
It is more the inconsistencies
that upset teams and riders. For
F
reddie Spencer's stewards
panel has been especially
busy this season, flinging
out sanctions like a sinking
ship's captain jettisoning un-
popular passengers.
It's
hard not to imagine them
feeling smug when, two races
in, they've found reason to apply
no less than 14 penalties. Plus,
another (for Moto2's Vietti) car-
ried over from 2022.
All in
the name of improv-
ing safety, for sundry offenses,
including disobeying official
instructions, jump starts
and
being "overly ambitious" (which
some might consider part of
the job description for a World
Championship wannabe).
Improving safety is, of course,
a noble aim. Particularly in the
P128
CN II IN THE PADDOCK
BY MICHAEL SCOTT
"OVERLY
AMBITIOUS"
STEWARDS SCORE
OWN GOAL
