Simon Crafar (born 15 January 1969) is a New Zealand retired motorcycle racer who competed at the Grand Prix motorcycle racing and World Superbike levels.
After riding, Crafer worked as a television commentator and analyst and participated in rider safety.Then & Now: Riders' leathers with Crafar and Quartararo motogp.com, 24 July 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024 From the 2025 season, he would join the world championship race organisers as Chairman of the FIM MotoGP Stewards' Panel, overseeing two other Stewards and replacing outgoing Freddie Spencer.Simon Crafar to become Chairman of FIM MotoGP™ Stewards Panel from 2025 motogp.com, 24 July 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024Dorna CEO backs Simon Crafar to finally make stewarding “consistent” crash.net, 13 October 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024
Crafer's racing career started in 1981 aboard a Suzuki TM75 in a local Junior Motocross Championship before eventually moving onto road racing in 1985. He won Malaysia's Superbike championship in 1991. In 1993 he raced a Harris machine in the 500 cc World Championship before joining the Suzuki factory racing team in the 250 class for the latter part of the season. He did not enjoy this, feeling he was too large for the bikes.www.motorcycle.com
World Superbike
For 1994, Crafer joined countryman Aaron Slight on a semi-works Rumi Honda RC45 in the Superbike World Championship. After coming fifth overall in 1994, he started the 1995 season with Rumi Honda before replacing Doug Polen as the second factory rider alongside Aaron Slight, although they raced under different liveries. The bike gradually became more competitive, and Simon was strong in later part of 1995, coming 2nd in race 1 at Assen. He then spent two years with the Kawasaki racing team, scoring only one podium during the 1996 season finishing in seventh position. In 1997, he took two second places and five third places in addition to one pole position and fastest lap to again finish fifth overall. In total, he scored ten podiums - four seconds and six thirds but, no wins in the series.Simon Crafar career statistics in WSBK
Crafer returned to World Superbike for 2000 as a substitute rider for Aaron Slight for two rounds. In 2002, he raced in British Superbike for the Virgin Mobile Yamaha team, coming eighth overall with two third place finishes. He retired from motorcycle racing at the end of the 2002 season to spend more time with his wife and children and continues to live in Andorra to this date.
500 GP
In 1998, Crafar rode a WCM Yamaha YZR500 in the 500cc world championship, winning the British Grand Prix at Donington Park (the last win for Dunlop in a dry race and the only non Honda win during the 1998 season and at Donington Park in six years), and finishing seventh in the standings, scoring two further podiums - one second and one third during the season with two fastest race laps - Donington Park and Phillip Island. He remained with the team for the early part of 1999, scoring points on five occasions. The WCM team changed to Michelin between seasons and Crafar found he could not replicate the same level of success as he had the previous year on Dunlop tyres and they parted company midway through the 1999 season. Crafar also took tenth on a one off ride on an MuZ at Donington Park during the same year. In total, he has contested 25 500cc races and seven 250cc races, taking three podium finishes.
Extreme Enduro
Following his retirement from road racing, Crafar continued to enjoy Extreme Enduro competing in the Red Bull Romaniacs competition held in Romania winning the Expert Class during 2007. During 2008 and 2009, Crafar worked with the organisers of the Red Bull Romaniacs competition assisting in the design and mapping of the course sections. During 2009, he was involved in a serious accident with a car whilst planning for the 2009 event that resulted in a broken back. Crafar underwent a successful operation to insert a metal plate and screws into his back.Simon Crafar seriously injured
On Circuit Instruction
Since 2006, Crafar has been involved in on-circuit rider instruction for both track day riders and professional racers and has personally taught over 600 people on a one-to-one basis in a little over six years. Utilising his experience from competing and racing in World Championships throughout a 13 year career, Crafar uses simple, logical techniques that are very effective in allowing riders to improve their lap times in a safe and controlled manner. It was this approach to instruction that lead the organisers of the European Junior Cupwww.europeanjuniorcup.com a race series held at the WSBK championship rounds across Europe for 14- to 19-year-old riders) to approach Crafar to become the mentor and series instructor to the young racers aged 14–19 for the 2011 Championship, a position he held for the 2012 Championship. Crafar Heads up European Junior Cup Crafar is involved in one-to-one rider instruction throughout Europe.
Motovudu Dark Art of Performance
During the latter part of 2011, Crafar launched Motovudu - Dark Art of Performance, a book and DVD series that is an instructional guide to riding faster on-circuit. Filmed at the MotoGP circuit Motorland Aragon in Northern Spain by Banter MediaBanter MediaBrit GP Winner Makes Bike Training DVD| and directed by Liam Andrew Wright, both the book and the film draw from Crafar's previous experiences, both racing and instructional and is designed to teach any rider how they can ride fast and stay away from unnecessary risks.
MotoGP Commentator In 2018, Crafar took on the new role of pitlane reporter for Dorna covering all the races for MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 going out on the world feed. He also does an onboard lap before each race discussing each circuit. In 2019, he joined Neil Morrison and Matt Dunn as a commentator on the Moto2 and Moto3 practice and qualifying sessions.
Career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
By season SeasonClassTeamMotorcycleNumberRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPtsPlcd1993500ccPeter Graves Racing TeamHarris-Yamaha SLS5003750000727th250ccTeam Lucky Strike Suzuki 250Suzuki RGV25074700001721st1998500ccRed Bull Yamaha WCMYamaha YZR500111413121197th1999500ccRed Bull Yamaha WCMYamaha YZR50011500001918thTeam Biland GP1MuZ Weber 5001110000Total321312162
By class ClassSeasons1st GP1st Pod1st WinRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPtsWChmp500cc1993, 1998-19991993 Spain1998 Netherlands1998 Great Britain2513121450250cc19931993 Catalunya70000170Total1993, 1998-19993213121620
Races by year (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap) YearClassManufacturer12345678910111213141516PosPts1993500ccYamahaESPAUTGERNEDEUR27th7250ccSuzukiEURSMRGBRCZEITAUSAFIM21st171998500ccYamahaJPNMALESPITAFRAMADNEDGBRGERCZEIMOCATAUSARG7th1191999500ccYamahaMALJPNESPFRAITACAT18th19MuZ WeberGBR
References