(Photo: Dorna Communications)

There was confusion in the Media Center and the paddock after Lorenzo tweeted that Race Direction had told him that, because the crash was not his fault, he would be allowed a new engine to replace the new one he lost. Race Direction, via telephone to members of the media, explained that Lorenzo had misunderstood and that there had been no promise of a new engine. While the FIM and Dorna worked out the language of the official press releases, tweets of all sorts kept journalists on edge and in doubt as to what was happening.

FIM technical regulations allow only six engines for all MotoGP riders over the season and the language specifically states that no special concessions will be allowed for crash-damaged engines.

In automobile racing engines are usually immune to crash damage, but the authors of the engine limit in MotoGP (technical rules were proposed by the MSMA and accepted by Dorna and the FIM with language agreed upon by the Grand Prix Commission) understood that crash damage was likely to occur but that it would be impossible in every case to determine whether a crash was the fault of the rider whose engine was damaged or of a rival.

The most difficult question was, once again, how to distinguish between a rider error and irresponsible riding. Clearly Bautista got in way too hot. He immediately apologized, saying that, coming off the third row, he lost his reference on the brakes and got into Turn 1 too fast.

Was there a pattern in Bautista's madness? Not really. Although Bautista was blamed for the first-lap crash at the final race of the 2011 season that took out three Ducati riders -- Rossi, Hayden and Hector Barberá -- Race Direction on that occasion determined that Dovizioso (then on a factory Honda) had overtaken Bautista (Suzuki) and moved over after passing. When Dovizioso braked, Bautista's front tire hit the Honda’s rear, producing the crash, a normal racing incident.

The day after the Bautista sanction in Assen, Race Direction of the World Superbike Championship sanctioned first-finisher Kenan Sofuoglu of Turkey by demoting him to fifth due to an incident with Frenchman Fabien Foret in the World Supersport race at Motorland (Aragon) at the Spanish round of the series. Once again, the only rule guiding Race Direction was FIM 1.21.2. (Britain's Sam Lowes won from Foret after Sofuoglu's demotion.)

Clearly both promoters (Dorna in Grand Prix and Infront in Superbike/Supersport) and the international federation (FIM) are determined to reign in “irresponsible” riding.

For 2013, MotoGP teams running factory-supplied bikes (the maximum of four factory supported riders for each of the three MSMA manufacturers) will be given one engine less per rider. With only five engines for the 18 or 19 races foreseen for 2013, the MSMA will be hearing requests from teams to consider allowing additional engines for crash damage “clearly” caused by another rider -- probably a can of worms that Race Direction would never want to open, but a problem that just may turn out to be a deciding factor in the battle for the 2012 MotoGP Championship.