Cycle News

VOLUME ISSUE APRIL , P129 starters, the cost of a long-lap penalty varies massively from one circuit to another—barely a second at some tracks but knocking on for four seconds at Misano. As Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis said last year, after Quartararo was punished for a minor mis - take at Assen, after other riders had got away scot-free for much worse actions: "We are disap - pointed to see the inequality with which penalties are applied by the FIM MotoGP Stewards panel." Then there is the arbitrary nature of decisions (stewards are not obliged to explain their reasoning). In Portugal, Marini knocked Bastianini down and broke his shoulder. In Argentina, Vinales knocked Binder off and Nakagami pushed Quartararo into the dirt, dropping him to last. No penalties. But in Portugal when Mar - quez slipped up and clobbered Oliveira, he was penalized ("overly aggressive"). In Argen- tina, Moto2's Garcia suffered the same sanction, and Scott Ogden also after his last-lap braking fumble knocked early front run- ner David Alamansa off. All were without doubt "overly ambitious." But what was the difference between these mistakes and those that went unpunished? And on the other hand, are the punishments sufficient? After Marquez's unfortunate close en - counter with Oliveira, frequently outspoken fellow Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro was loudly call- ing for a one-race ban, while the Portuguese rider's team owner Razlan Razali was demanding a high-level conference on the whole matter. Like I said, no friends. Consequently, when the stew- ards scored an own goal with their penalty against Marquez, the critics smiled sardonically. They'd set him a double long- lap penalty to be served in the "Argentina MotoGP race." Marc acknowledged his error and ac- cepted the punishment. Next day, back home, doc- tors discovered a fracture in his right thumb. It was surgically fixable, but Marc withdrew from the coming weekend's Argen- tine race to take a fortnight to recover. Thus, he was unable to serve the penalty as specified. The stewards hastily "clari- fied" their decision, revising the wording. The penalty would now be served at his next race, wher- ever it might be. Justice would be served, at their convenience. Or would it? "Foul," cried Repsol Honda. Against the rules! Too late to change the specified punish - ment. Especially since the revision would penalize Marc at CotA, a circuit where he reigns supreme, and could be expected to overcome the Honda's many problems. It went to the FIM Appeal Stewards. They saw the team's point and the Stewards' proce - dural blunder and passed the buck to the MotoGP Court of Appeal. We await their lordships' deci- sion. And enjoy the discomfort of the all-powerful but perhaps on this occasion overly ambitious stewards, who must follow the rules as much as the riders. After all, veterans are happy to keep reminding us that had there been stewards and sanctions in Sweden back in 1983, Freddie Spencer's "overly aggressive" last-lap attack that pushed Kenny Roberts into the dirt while himself running wide and "exceeding track limits," he would have been dropped one place, and would not have won the championship. CN All were without doubt "overly ambitious." But what was the difference between these mistakes and those that went unpunished?

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