The FIM and Race Direction are getting carried away with themselves trying to reassert their authority, because they have announced with this press release : “The Race Direction will call Italian rider Marco Simoncelli during the Catalunya Grand Prix this week, to further discuss the incident during the MotoGP race at the French Grand Prix in Le Mans.
”What is the Race Direction trying to prove? They gave Simoncelli a ride through penalty almost immediately for the reckless overtaking manoeuver that took out Dani Pedrosa at Le Mans, under rule 1.
21 (2) of the FIM Sporting Regulations: “Riders must ride in a responsible manner which does not cause danger to other competitors or participants, either on the track or in the pit-lane.
Any infringement of this rule will be penalized by one of the following penalties: fine – ride-through – disqualification –withdrawal of championship points – suspension” and that should have put the incident to rest for all the parties involved.
The Italian rider was also soundly reamed out by HRC boss who had him marched into their truck after the race and that should be enough to put him on guard against making other haphazard moves, so why in the hell is the Race Direction going to discuss the incident again? Wasn’t the penalty enough or are they trying to make an example of Simoncelli and in a round about way of trying to tell the other riders, if you fuck up in any way, we are going to be tough on you? Simoncelli will already be facing an army of angry Spaniards waiting for him in Barcelona, who are not afraid of showing their vocal displeasure against riders they think that have wronged their fellow countrymen, as the Italian can testify after his clash with Hector Barbera, and getting called in by the Race Direction for an incident that has already been punished does not bode well for Simoncelli’s peace of mind and concentration for the upcoming race.