It's not like it's an isolated incident. Here he is in 2015, kicking out at Niklas Ajo, before hitting his kill switch and shutting his engine off.
Those antics earned him a demotion to the back of the grid (and he was eventually sacked by the VR46 team he was riding for). Yesterday's actions have, understandably, landed him in hot water too. Firstly, he was 'black flagged' and disqualified from the race. He was subsequently also hit with a two race suspension.
Crazily, the rider whose brake he grabbed, rides for MV Augusta... who had signed Fenati for 2019. Well, in a move which will shock no-one, it doesn't look like that's going to happen. Giovanni Castiglioni, boss of the team, said the following:
"True sportsmen would never act in this way. If I was [Governing body] Dorna I would ban him from world racing. Regarding his contract for a future position as a rider for MV August Moto2 , I will oppose myself in every way to stop it. It will not happen. He does not represent our company's true value."
Oops. It gets worse for the 22-year old Italian. His current team have terminated his contract too. Marinelli Snipers said:
"We can communicate that the Marinelli Snipers team shall terminate the contract with the rider Romano Fenati, for his unsporting, dangerous conduct for the image of all. With extreme regret, we have to note that his irresponsible act endangered the life of another rider and can't be apologised for in any way."
This morning Fenati has released a statement about his actions:
"I apologise to the world of sport. This morning, with a lucid mind, I wish it had just been a bad dream. I think about and think back to those moments, I made a disgraceful gesture, I was not a man! A man would have finished the race and then he would have gone to Race Direction to try and get some justice for the preceding incident. I shouldn’t have reacted to provocation.
"The criticisms are correct and I understand the animosity towards me. I want to apologise to everyone who believed in me and all those who felt hurt by my action. A horrible image of me and of the sport has come out. I'm not like that, people who know me well know that!
"In my career, I've always been a just rider. Last year I was one of the few who was not penalised, I have never put someone else's life in jeopardy, on the contrary, I have always maintained that there are riders on the track who are dangerous because of their riding style.
"It's true, unfortunately I have an impulsive character, but my intention was certainly not to hurt a rider like me rather I wanted to make him understand that what he was doing was dangerous and how I could also have done something similar to what he did to me!
"I do not want to justify myself, I know that my actions were not justifiable, I just want to apologise to everyone. Now I will have time to reflect and clear my head."
Since he'll have some time on his hands, maybe Fenati can now engage in some anger management therapy.
Update: Internet jokers wait for no man.
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