Next season, MotoGP will have Simon Crafar as the chairman of the FIM steward panel, succeeding Freddie Spencer, who faced widespread criticism for inconsistent decisions.
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, told AS that he also wants this consistency and will request it from the FIM: ‘Of course, it’s very difficult not to make mistakes, but what I will ask the FIM at the end of the year, which is when I discuss this because the steward service is provided by the FIM and the IRTA, is that decisions be consistent’.
When asked if the arrival of Crafar might lead to more consistent criteria, Ezpeleta replied: ‘I hope so. His appointment is something from the IRTA, and he seems like a good person, but I also like Spencer’.
The Spanish executive believes Spencer’s case highlights the challenges of the referee role: ‘Spencer was one of the best riders this championship ever had, and he must understand something, which shows how difficult it is to be a referee’.