Yamaha Motor Racing Managing Director & Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team Principal Lin Jarvis on Tuesday expressed disappointment at the long-lap penalty for the upcoming Monster Energy British Grand Prix given to Fabio Quartararo by the FIM MotoGP Stewards panel after a racing incident involving Aleix Espargaro at the TT Circuit Assen on Sunday.
“Fabio Quartararo, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team and Yamaha have always strived for fairness and sportsmanship in MotoGP.” Jarvis said.
“We are disappointed with the disparity in penalties imposed by the FIM MotoGP Stewards panel.” Jarvis added.
Quartararo went down as he attempted to make a pass for second position on Lap 5 at the TT Circuit Assen’s Strubben corner, and ran into Espargaro RS-GP. The Spaniard kept himself upright but had to take to the gravel.
The lack of danger involved in the attempt, in a slow bend where no one was injured. Espargaro did not fall, he was able to restart and finish fifteenth. While Quartararo failed, but Yamaha believe that the stewards lacked insight in their penalty.
Jarvis added the inconsistency with which penalties are imposed by the FIM MotoGP stewards panel during the 2022 season hurts MotoGP’s fairness and trust in the Stewards’ panel.
There have been at least three more serious racing incidents in the MotoGP class where riders had to withdraw from the race and/or suffered injuries that went unpunished.
“We wanted to appeal the Stewards’ decision at the TT Circuit Assen on Sunday, but these kinds of penalties are not open to discussion or appeal.” Jarvis said.
“We then wanted to submit the matter in principle to the CAS, but there is no appeal there either. Precisely for these reasons, the Stewards must first and foremost make correct, balanced and consistent decisions and execute them within the correct, reasonable time frame.” he added.
