Romano Fenati suspended by Italian federation after brake lever incident

22-year-old grabbed the brake of opponent Stefano Manzi in a the 200km/h incident

Italian Moto2 rider Romano Fenati has been suspended after he grabbed an opponent’s brake lever during a race. Photograph:  Fabrizio Petrangeli/EPA
Italian Moto2 rider Romano Fenati has been suspended after he grabbed an opponent’s brake lever during a race. Photograph: Fabrizio Petrangeli/EPA

Italian Moto2 rider Romano Fenati was suspended by his country's motorcycling federation (FMI) and had his licence revoked after he shocked the sport by grabbing a rival's brake lever while racing at speed in a race on Sunday.

The 22-year-old’s contract with the Marinelli Snipers team had already been terminated following the astonishing incident during the San Marino Grand Prix.

“Romano Fenati is suspended from all sporting activity with consequent withdrawal of his racing licence,” said the FMI’s federal tribunal in a statement on Tuesday. It did not give any dates for the length of the suspension.

Fenati has also been summoned to appear before an FMI disciplinary hearing on Friday.

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The Italian was disqualified on the spot and barred from the next two races after he leaned across and grabbed the brake of Stefano Manzi in a the 200km/h incident. Moto2 is a feeder series one rung below the main MotoGP class.

Fenati apologised for the incident on Monday, describing it as a “disgraceful gesture”.

On Tuesday, he told Italian media that he would finish his studies.

“Now, I’m going back to school,” he said. “With a cool head, I say that I will not race anymore, but I do not really know how I would see myself in five years.

“At the moment, I just want to put all this behind me.”