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Nothing happened at the Red Bull Ring. There were no bikes flying over the heads of the riders and not even B-rays flashing at the gates of Orion. And since rain was expected but, instead, they raced on dry asphalt, we can’t even say that everything that happened will vanish like tears in the rain.
What, instead, will unfortunately not vanish from my mind is that the Federation is an amateur organization superficially managed by people who always seem to have just haphazardly ended up there, and who can’t wait to leave.
How? Over the course of a Grand Prix, we witnessed two accidents that are still debatable: Bastianini’s and Zarco and Morbidelli’s. Two falls that could have had very serious, potentially fatal, consequences, and that consequently filled the newspapers and TV channels... but not even a press release was issued, not even to say that all is well, Madame la Marquise?
Seriously, are they kidding? During a race, hairs get split in four and each millimeter is scrutinized or, if the edge of the tire touches the curb rather than if it was completely on the green, and then all hell breaks loose, but there’s not even a line of press release to say, I don’t l know, maybe “Hey, guys, go a slower because spectators are sensitive people!”?
In cases like these, usually, we get angry with Dorna. But even if it’s true that they’re the organizers and, from a communications point-of-view, they’re not praiseworthy, in this particular case, the FIM - International Motorcycling Federation - is the one that has to pick up the slack on this one.
In short, the panel of judges chaired by our old friend, Freddie Spencer , after situations like yesterday’s, should issue a statement saying: ladies and gentlemen, the case is being studied, we’ll meet again next Thursday, we’ll hear the parties, we’ll review the videos, and we’ll let you know.
Mind you, maybe Freddie communicated it to his colleagues and the interested parties but, in between, no one took the trouble to write ten lines to inform the world whether Johann Zarco, defined as a “quasi murderer” by Morbidelli and pilloried by Rossi is, in fact, accused of something.
A "notice of investigation", that’s what it’s called in legal terms, and it’s a “due act”, as we all know, because the respondent must be informed if he has explanations to give, which does not mean he’s actually found guilty of anything.
But we – who have seen things that you soccer fans, or fans of other equally professional sports, can’t even believe – are still here holding, not a dove, like the replicant in Blade Runner, but a fistful of flies.
Jorge – Viegas, not Lorenzo (I’m addressing the former rider who is now President of the FIM), from whom do we have to find out if Johann Zarco and Franco Morbidelli will be called in on Thursday at the Red Bull Ring? And are they still risking something? And what?
Why, dear FIM, are you then looking for the mote in the eye of thy rider brother who goes off onto the green when exiting a corner and you don’t notice the beam that’s in thine own eye?
In short, just out of curiosity: will there be a hearing to establish any responsibilities, with regard to what happened between Zarco and Morbidelli in the Austrian GP, or should we just sit back and drink us some Gewürtraminer and… be on our way?
Thanks... and we’ll be waiting.
P.S. While we move beyond this event, if the FIM would also be so kind as to take a position on Iannone – who has been waiting a year for a sentence, with damage incurred both on a sporting as well as on a financial level for all parties involved, rider and factory, aka Aprilia – that would great too.
