Spencer hints blueprint now set for future MotoGP stewarding

The man in charge of MotoGP stewarding has offered what’s believed to be his first public explanation of the series’ officiating stance – and suggested the recent French Grand Prix showed a blueprint has been set for how incidents will be tackled.

FIM MotoGP chief steward Freddie Spencer’s appearance on domestic series MotoAmerica’s official podcast was the first interview he’s given since taking on the role in 2019.

He joined veteran journalists Paul Carruthers and Sean Bice to talk about multiple aspects of his career including the new all-women Royal Enfield racing series he’s leading.

But, with Spencer being notoriously media-shy in the MotoGP paddock, they also took the opportunity to talk to him about MotoGP, and the past world champion gave some revealing answers.

There has been significant criticism directed towards the Stewards Panel headed up by Spencer since its inception in 2019, not just for its lack of consistency but increasingly for its decision to sanction what would have in the past been traditionally referred to as racing incidents – something that riders and fans alike have been opposed to.

Spencer is adamant that his new drive is something that the racers have actually been calling for – and that this is perhaps at odds with what they have relayed to the media.

“We have the greatest motorsport in the world, in my opinion, and it’s the greatest show, and it’s also the best riders and the best opportunities,” he said.

“And we always want to see them perform and be able to do their job.

“Over the past few years, from the riders’ side, from the safety commission side, when the MotoGP riders meet every Friday, there’s a push about contact. What is incidental, what’s racing, what’s too much?

“It got to a point a few races ago where it was just too much. Not too much contact, but it’s where there shouldn’t be any involvement, where it should be race incidents.

“We all agree with that, and if it’s too much, if it’s race-affecting, then there will be changes of position, that’s the first course of action, as it should be. Then we’ll move forward from that.

“The riders understand that, and as much as anything, what you see today in this world and in our sport, and what a lot of people need to understand, is that it’s so competitive and so difficult. There’s a lot of emotion from the riders’ standpoint, and I understand that.

“From our side, it’s safety and fairness, but we want the riders to be able to race and that’s what we saw in France.”

The French round featured fewer stewarding interventions than in previous rounds, with Spencer and his team seeming to dial back some of their sanctions following a Friday night safety commission meeting with the riders.

That lighter-touch approach was all but demanded by riders following the prodigious issuing of long lap penalties during the previous round at Jerez.

However, the officials’ Le Mans approach…