Espargarò criticizes the stewards: “They are inadequate. We need to change”

Common discontent

All the riders on the MotoGP grid have one thing in common: theirs aversion towards stewards. There is no one who currently likes the way the race commissioners handle penalties, which is considered inconsistent and unprofessional. Bagnaia, Bastianini and Quartararo are just some of the excellent names who have explicitly pointed the finger at Race Direction in recent weeks. However, no one has gone as deeply into analyzing the situation as Aleix Espargarò, an Aprilia rider who is one of the veterans of the grid and is competing in his last season in the top class. Aleix analyzed the current situation, indicating as the main problem the lack of understanding that the current MotoGP steward panel seems to have. A serious problem, to be resolved according to #41 of Granollers with the addition of new, more competent and up-to-date figures.

Inadequate skills

“I have no doubt that the commissioners do their best and analyze all the incidents, but their level is not sufficient and is very far from what MotoGP needs – thundered the Spaniard during a meeting with journalists – if I finished last in all the races I would do my best to improve and after a year or two I would lose my place and someone would replace me. The situation is the same: these stewards are 20 years removed from the way racing is done today. We need people who know the style of MotoGP and today’s bikes. It doesn’t have to be someone who competed a year or two ago, but it doesn’t have to be 25″ either..

The possible alternatives

Espargarò, continuing his interesting reflection, also mentioned some names. Not so much to ‘candidate’ them as heirs of the controversial Freddie Spencer, but rather to draw a profile of a hypothetical ideal race commissioner: “We need at least one other person who knows how a MotoGP works in 2024. It could be Cal [Crutchlow] Perhaps. One day they give a penalty for one thing and then the next day for the exact same episode, with only the colors of the bikes being different, they give an opposite evaluation. We drivers go crazy like this, it’s hard to understand. We need a figure like Michele Pirro for example – to name one – who still competes, who knows motorcycles and knows how to evaluate situations. They do not understand“.

In closing, however, Espargarò also has stigmatized the behavior of some of his colleagues, who sometimes ‘transcend’ in their protests. The case in question is that of Enea Bastianiniwho in the Catalan GP had twice refused to serve a Long Lap Penalty because he judged it unfair: “Respect is needed: In my opinion, Enea should have been disqualified with the black flag in Barcelona, for not respecting the penalties. If you want respect, you have to give respect“. The key, however, is always the same: at the basis of everything we need a Steward Panel that is adequate for the current level of the premier class.