Bike Racer Suspended After Yanking Competitor's Brake Lever At 125mph

Moto2 Rider Romano Fenati has been given a two-race suspension for grabbing Stefano Manzi's brake, but there have been calls for a lifetime ban

Moto2 rider Romano Fenati has been hit with widespread condemnation following this shocking and spectacularly dangerous behaviour at the San Marino Grand Prix. The Italian rider was seen leaning over and pulling the brake of competitor Stefano Manzi’s motorbike while the pair were travelling at around 125mph, causing the latter to have a scary-looking high-speed wobble.

Thankfully, Manzi - who’d earlier made contact with his rival and pushed him off track in a misjudged overtaking manoeuvre - stayed on, but race officials understandably took a dim view of Fenati’s conduct. He was black flagged and has been handed a two-race suspension, although for some, this doesn’t go far enough. Aleix Espargaro reckons Fenati should be made to sit out rest of the 2018 season (there are still six races remaining this year), and the Spaniard’s fellow MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow has said that Fenati should be banned for life.

“I think he should never race a motorcycle again,” the Briton said, adding, “You can’t do this to another motorcycle racer. We are risking our lives enough…If his team keep him, they’re absolutely stupid.”

In a statement posted on its website, Marinelli Snipers Team - the outfit Fenati races for - said that it “accepted it [the two-race suspension] immediately,” but made no mention of firing the rider. The twist in this unfortunate tale is Fenati is signed with Forward Racing for the 2019 season. That being Manzi’s team. Awkward.

Will that still happen? We’re not sure at this stage, but Forward is due to take on MV Agusta branding next year as part of a new tie-up, and MV’s boss Giovanni Castiglioni is not happy about Fenati being part of the squad. “I will oppose myself in every way to stop it…he [Fenati] doesn’t represent our company true values,” he said in an Instagram post.

UPDATE: Fenati has since been fired by his existing team and had his 2019 contract with Forward cancelled.

Sponsored Posts

Comments

MeBoosta

Greed, it can turn a man into a monster, in both ways.

09/10/2018 - 07:59 |
1 | 1
Bring a Caterham To MARS

In reply to by MeBoosta

You mean both a terrible person and a terrible drink?

09/10/2018 - 08:39 |
1 | 1
German Perfectionist

Holy sh*t that’s dangerous. And also unfair as hell. I agree, he should not be banned for two races, but at least for the rest of the season, if not forever. This behavior has nothing to do with sportsmanship.

09/10/2018 - 08:17 |
24 | 2

This isn’t even his first offense. In Moto3 he kicked Ajo during a qualy session causing the two of them to crash and was kicked off a year later due to behavioral issues during a qualifying session. So two races????? This man should have a year or lifetime ban.

Vid of him kicking Nikolas Ajo (https://youtu.be/x7fep8y0X2w)

His suspension from VR46 (http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2016/08/13/fenati-suspended-from-vr46/207193)

09/10/2018 - 12:58 |
10 | 0
Elliot.J99

It’s just a prank bro

09/10/2018 - 08:21 |
50 | 0

Oh man. What is the a reference of? Lol. I want to see the clip.

09/10/2018 - 10:55 |
1 | 0
Bring a Caterham To MARS

Poor guy!
He got pushed off track, realized his opponent wasn’t controlling his bike well enough, decided to help him by slowing his bike down, and y’all are talking about banning him for life!
This is the best act of sportsmanship since a certain F1 pilot said “Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing” to his team so that they could have a much needed coffee break!

09/10/2018 - 08:47 |
94 | 4

Inb4 37 downvotes from people who think I’m serious

09/10/2018 - 08:51 |
22 | 1
Wogmidget

Settle down Indiana

09/10/2018 - 09:25 |
0 | 3
Anonymous

As someone thats raced a high level on two wheels, Fenati deserves to be banned for a long time….. I dont know many teams that will want to even take him on anymore. He has burned his bridge with MV Agusta before it even started.

Stupid idiot does not realise worst case im an accident is passing away…

Lets hope this is the last we see of Fenati

09/10/2018 - 09:25 |
13 | 1
MrLeo

Meanwhile in the goodwood race there was a guy touching another pilot’s butt while overtaking and everyone is laughing about it

09/10/2018 - 10:10 |
3 | 2
Dave 12

In reply to by MrLeo

Lol that was a please don’t turn touch

09/10/2018 - 11:16 |
0 | 3
Nobody

He should be banned from racing.

09/10/2018 - 10:41 |
3 | 1
The Dutch Texan

After seeing this I am going to agree with the people calling for a lifetime ban. That is just not done.

09/10/2018 - 13:03 |
2 | 2

Why so many downvotes?

09/10/2018 - 15:38 |
1 | 1
lukalukic1

What about kicking other rider bike? They didn’t ask for life ban?

09/10/2018 - 14:23 |
1 | 1