MotoGP Assen: Jarvis reacts to Quartararo penalty

06/28/2022 |
Christina Bulpett |
MotoGP

Picture: GeeBee Images

Monster Energy Yamaha Team Principal Lin Jarvis has issued a statement regarding the penalty issued to Fabio Quartararo at the Dutch GP.

The Yamaha Motor Racing MD expressed disappointment with the FIM Stewards decision to hand the reigning champion a long-lap penalty for the upcoming Monster Energy British Grand Prix following the turn five incident with Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro. The incident saw the somewhat overeager Frenchman collect the RS-GP into the gravel after an unsuccessful overtake on the fifth lap, with Espargaro forced to regroup to 15th before an impressive fightback to fourth. Quartararo retired from the race following a second crash at the same corner seven laps later.

Jarvis’ condemnation of the penalty pointed to an inconsistent nature in recent decisions.

“Fabio Quartararo, the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team, and Yamaha have always striven for fairness and sportsmanship in MotoGP,” Jarvis stated. “We are disappointed to see the inequality with which penalties are applied by the FIM MotoGP Stewards panel.”

The factory Yamaha team openly set out its reasons for disagreement with Sunday’s decision, explaining:

Whilst Quartararo has admitted to making a mistake in turn five at the TT Circuit Assen on lap five, Monster Energy Yamaha view this as a race incident. Quartararo has the reputation of being a clean rider, without a track record of prior incidents. It was an honest mistake without malicious intent.

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP acknowledges that Aleix Espargaro’s race was affected, but the severeness of the impact is a matter of conjecture. Monster Energy Yamaha feel the FIM MotoGP Stewards panel is measuring the severity of race incidents with inconsistent, subjective standards.

The inconsistency with which penalties are applied by the FIM MotoGP Stewards panel during the 2022 season damages the fairness of MotoGP and the faith in the Stewards’ jurisdiction. There have been at least three more serious race incidents in the MotoGP Class (resulting in riders retiring from the race and/or causing injuries) that were left unpunished.

“We wanted to appeal the decision of the stewards on Sunday at the Assen track, but this type of penalty is not open to discussion or appeal,” Jarvis continued. “We then wanted to raise the issue, as a matter of principle, with CAS (Court of Arbitration of Sport), but equally such a matter is not open to appeal.

“It is precisely for these reasons that correct, balanced, and consistent decisions should be taken by the stewards in the first place and executed within the correct, reasonable time frame.”