The decisions and inconsistencies of MotoGP stewards are once again a topic of discussion at the Italian GP. The decision not to penalize Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing/Aprilia) for the incident with Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) in the Sprint race is controversial among riders. Aleix Espargaró is one of those who questioned the outcome. The stewards panel at Mugello comprises Andres Somolinos, Freddie Spencer and Tamara Matko.
The Spanish Aprilia rider believes that the current stewards are not sufficient for MotoGP: ‘The only thing that I said is that I’m 100% sure that they try their best, they analyze everything carefully, they are doing as much as they can, but the level is not enough, is very far from MotoGP. If I finish 22nd in every race, I gave everything that I had, I worked hard, I spent ten hours in telemetry, I would not be here for four years – I would race one year, or maybe two, and then I would go home and somebody would replace me. This is how the situation is’.
Espargaró continued: ‘On Friday I was quite strong on the Safety Comission trying to give my opinion to Dorna. For me it’s difficult, because I don’t want to talk bad about them because I’m sure that they’re doing their best. But they’re 20 years far away from today’s racing. We need somebody there that has been racing recently – not last year or two years ago, but not 25 years ago. Somebody who knows MotoGP, today’s riding style, the tyres. Maybe they can keep doing their job, but they need another person there who knows more about MotoGP in 2024’.
When asked if Cal Crutchlow could be a solution, the Spaniard agreed: ‘It can be Cal, yes. It can be Cal. Maybe just a MotoGP rider who gives his opinion to help them. But when they give a penalty for one thing and the other day exactly the same thing – the only thing that changes is the color of the bike – is another one. We riders become crazy! Why on Friday there was no penalty for Oliveira? Jorge [Martín] was on pole position, he was out of the garage. But they said: «He was trying his best». I don’t care! I’m trying my best also. This is why they penalized Pecco [Bagnaia] in the right way – he was in the middle of the line, racing, it can happen, but it’s a penalty. It’s difficult for us to be relaxed and to understand this’.
In Espargaró’s view, this modern ex-rider in the panel of stewards doesn’t need to be one who has fought at the top: ‘No, no. Somebody who has been racing, who knows more or less the bikes. Maybe Michele Pirro for example – he understands the bikes, he is still racing a little bit. He just came to my mind, there are many, many riders. But after Jerez incident with [Brad] Binder I went there in the afternoon to try to explain them my opinion to help them. Because they said us: «Please come and try to help whatever you want». So I went there and I asked: «Why there was no penalty for Brad in this action with Pecco?». «Ah, it was just a clash because there was no room». Yeah, but there was no room because he put the two wheels on the kerb, so he was out of control, out of the line. So it should be a penalty. They don’t understand’.