<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Moto GP race officials have apologised to Nicky Hayden after they failed to penalise Valentino Rossi for an illegal overtaking move in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix.

Rossi passed Casey Stoner for fifth place late in the race under waved yellow flags and then went on to finish third – reducing the American’s series lead to 21 points.

Hayden, 25, said in the post-race that Rossi's move on Stoner was against the rules of the sport and that the Italian should have been given a penalty for the offence.

The Honda rider said: “I saw the waving yellow flag in turn three and we'd just caught Stoner and he made a pass there. I was waiting to see a board out for him (to give a ride-through penalty).

“I thought he should have been penalised but I knew he wasn't. If it was the other way round and I had passed under a yellow, I'd like to think it would be the same for me. The bottom line is I want to fight the dude on the track.”

Although the stewards did look into the move, it was only after video evidence had been reviewed, that the group decided that they had made a mistake, that Hayden was right after all and that Rossi had deserved a penalty.

Unfortunately for Hayden, Moto GP rules do not allow a rider to be punished for such an offence once the race has ended, and Rossi, a five-time champion, was let-off scot-free.

Chief steward Paul Butler has now apologised to a reportedly ‘devastated' Hayden, who believes that the extra points gained by Rossi could make all the difference at the end of the season.

Butler said: “I went to see Nicky to explain what had gone on and I told him that I was really sorry because I want this title to be won on the track, not in the stewards' office.

“He told me that his mindset had changed because he thought he would get penalised.”
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If would really suck if those couple points end up deciding the title.

 

It would literally be 2 points right? It's highly unlikely that the season is gonna end by a 2 point spread. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

it's not the amount of points that's a big deal... it's the fact that rules are rules and there should never be exceptions...

 

Yup, Hayden noticed the move during the race he was competing in.....how come the one's that watch the race for things like that didn't see that? There's definitely a little favoritism going on if you ask me.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by The Soup &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">After the race it emerged that Race Direction were looking at an incident said to involve Rossi overtaking Stoner under a yellow flag. It happened towards the end of the race when Hayden was shadowing Rossi. Nicky says he saw the flag, Stoner doesn't remember seeing anything and Rossi obviously didn't see it. Most people wearing a Honda or HRC shirt regarded it as an open-and-shut case; Race Direction didn't see it that way. Honda are still seething, but Nicky refuses to complain. He must have thought that Rossi would be demoted in the order and it did take him a lap or two to get past Stoner. Actually, Nicky got right up behind Stoner, hoping Rossi would realize his mistake and make room for Casey to go back through and intending to take advantage himself. Nicky's view is simple: 'Rossi beat me on the track, he didn't overtake me under a yellow flag.' He still leads the Championship, but it's Rossi behind him now. Nicky is far more concerned about why he still hasn't got a clutch that will let him do a race start than he is about any yellow flag.
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Nicky is the man but you have to admit, the only reason he was so close to the front of the pack, towards the end of the race, is because it started raining and everyone needed to go back in to pit, etc etc. Whereas Rossi was passing people left and right to get to the front.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ScareyH22A &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nicky is the man but you have to admit, the only reason he was so close to the front of the pack, towards the end of the race, is because it started raining and everyone needed to go back in to pit, etc etc. Whereas Rossi was passing people left and right to get to the front.</TD></TR></TABLE>I believe it was raining from the start of the race. It just got real bad after a few laps. Nicky's move to the front was just the result of a good pit stop when he switched bikes. Rossi had to do the same thing.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EngineNoO9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">it's not the amount of points that's a big deal... it's the fact that rules are rules and there should never be exceptions...</TD></TR></TABLE>

And they should never enforce a rule after the race because they notice an infraction on video.

No corner workers or race officials saw it, if they did they should have reported it so that Rossi would be penalized during the race.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RebornGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No corner workers or race officials saw it, if they did they should have reported it so that Rossi would be penalized during the race. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I think the corner workers saw it, but the reason it wasn't reported is bolded in the above text

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RebornGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And they should never enforce a rule after the race because they notice an infraction on video.

No corner workers or race officials saw it, if they did they should have reported it so that Rossi would be penalized during the race. </TD></TR></TABLE>
They've levied post race penalties plenty of times in the past and the rules don't specifically say that you cannot give a post race penalty. They screwed up, plain and simple.

 

It's Rossi guys....even a ten-second penalty in a race last season (or was it the previous-previous season...?) could not keep him from winning the race. I can't recall which one it was, but I'm sure someone does.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by marmaladeboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's Rossi guys....even a ten-second penalty in a race last season (or was it the previous-previous season...?) could not keep him from winning the race. I can't recall which one it was, but I'm sure someone does.</TD></TR></TABLE>

in this race a 10 second penalty would have meant more than just 2 points.

 

if the penalty came earlier I could understand. this was with a few laps left. no way could he have made up the time.... just my .02

 

Having to run through the pits as a penalty costs a lot of time. If you break the speed limit you have to do it again too. I think it would of cost Rossi more than 2 points.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by marmaladeboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's Rossi guys....even a ten-second penalty in a race last season (or was it the previous-previous season...?) could not keep him from winning the race. I can't recall which one it was, but I'm sure someone does.</TD></TR></TABLE>Yeah, but he didn't win this one.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's Rossi guys....even a ten-second penalty in a race last season (or was it the previous-previous season...?) could not keep him from winning the race. I can't recall which one it was, but I'm sure someone does.</TD></TR></TABLE>
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1bad-eg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah, but he didn't win this one.</TD></TR></TABLE>
And he's not riding a bike that is clearly superior to the rest of the grid like the 02 RCV was.