[Rassegna stampa] – Johann Zarco will start from the pitlane in the Styrian Grand Prix after the decision of the commissioners, who thus punished him for the accident that occurred at the Austrian Grand Prix when he met Franco Morbidelli. The Frenchman feels the victim of unfair treatment as MotoGP wonders about the strange timing to impose this penalty.
“Yesterday he watched his rivals from the side of the track (“Interesting experience”), but today Johann Zarco will be on the saddle: the doctors have judged him suitable for racing three days after the operation on his right scaphoid. «The pulse – he explains – improves quickly: I will have pain, but I think I can drive. If it rains it would be better, doing 28 laps on dry roads will be more complicated ». Even more so starting from the pit lane, due to the penalty inflicted on him after the terrible accident with Morbidelli on Sunday. «I would have liked to appeal – he reveals – then I thought it was better to close it here. The Stewards? I don’t trust them, we would like real men ». Hard as on the track, despite a punishment that was anything but excessive: it could, indeed, maybe it should have been heavier. «I don’t know, I don’t care – Franco Morbidelli closes the speech – Personally I am not looking for revenge on Zarco, with whom I am a friend of the mini bikes. For me, the accident is the past: he made a mistake, but it ended there ».”
Giovanni Zamagni, The Gazzetta dello Sport
“The Stewards Panel, led by former champion Freddie Spencer, continues to receive criticism from all sides. The strongest trip came from Johann Zarco, who was found guilty in last Sunday’s accident with Morbidelli and on Sunday, in the Styrian GP again at the Red Bull Ring, he will start from the pit lane to serve his penalty. “I don’t trust them, I don’t think they are the right people in the right place – the Frenchman vented -. Real men would be needed to make certain decisions, but they are afraid and don’t know what to do ». It is certainly a judgment that is also the result of a penalty that he considers unfair (“I put my ego aside and I didn’t resort to ending this story here”), but there are many pilots who have criticized the work of the marshals in recent days athletes of the International Federation. Aleix Espargaró questioned Spencer’s adequacy and many others expressed concern about the consistency of their judgment. Franco Morbidelli, party to the dispute, extended his hand to Zarco: «I didn’t want revenge against him, I simply asked for a penalty for his mistake. We knew each other as children, when we raced with the minibikes, I only feel friendship towards him ». So the judges have to regain credibility. The compact drivers promise to pay more attention on the track, but they want a signal from the stewards. Sunday’s race will be important for them too“.
Matteo Aglio, The print
“Guilty is guilty. Of an “irresponsible guide”, as the Federation commission ruled in its device, but the penalty … the penalty was very light. Given that because of that imprudence, last Sunday, Zarco could have put his signature on a tragedy. So, back to current events: tomorrow the French driver – this is the decision of the Fim – will start his race from the pitlane. Whatever the grid placement that will be drawn today. Yes, because Zarco, after having received the “light” judgment in the morning for the accident with Morbidelli, in the afternoon received the ok from the doctors (scaphoid control operated on Wednesday) to return to the track and therefore participate in the Styrian GP. The men of the Federation, while judging Zarco’s maneuver “irresponsible”, did not take into account that because of it, the crazy bikes of the Frenchman and Morbidelli could kill Rossi and Vinales“.
Riccardo Galli, The Rest of the Carlino
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