Unhappy Honda rider Joan Mir voices criticism of MotoGP stewards' decision-making after receiving a penalty in the Valencia Grand Prix sprint. Mir's frustration stems from the perceived inconsistency in penalties, as he believes his punishment was unjustified compared to similar incidents in the past.
During the sprint, Mir's Honda team-mate Luca Marini crashed into him on the second lap, causing Mir to wipe out. Mir argued that he shouldn't have been penalized, as it would discourage overtaking. The stewards, however, imposed a long lap penalty, which Mir served on Sunday, finishing in 13th place.
Mir's dissatisfaction intensified during a meeting with chief FIM steward Simon Crafar, where he questioned the stewards' consistency. He referenced a previous incident involving Ai Ogura in the Sachsenring, where Ogura crashed and hit Mir, yet no penalty was issued. Mir's concern is that the stewards' lack of consistency in penalties is causing confusion among riders.
Additionally, Mir faced challenges during the race due to an unexpected drop in grip from his rear medium tyre, which affected his performance in the final laps. He expressed surprise at the sudden loss of grip, despite his efforts in managing the tyres.
Mir's criticism of the stewards' decision-making comes as the first open complaint from riders, despite the generally positive feedback received by the new chief steward, Simon Crafar, for his approach in the 2025 season.
