Romano Fenati has issued an apology to the "whole world of sport" for the "disgraceful" incident with Stefan Manzi during the Moto2 San Marino Grand Prix.
Forward Racing rider Manzi collided with Fenati at the Turn 14 Carro hairpin during the intermediate class race at Misano on Sunday, which resulted in both running off and dropping out of the points paying positions.
In retaliation, Fenati drew alongside Manzi on the run through Turn 7 moments later and grabbed the Forward rider's brake lever at over 100mph.
Fenati was black-flagged from the race, and was later handed a two-race ban for the incident, though it now looks unlikely he will return at all after his the Marinelli Snipers team confirmed it had terminated its contract with the Italian.
Writing in a statement on his official website, Fenati says the "criticisms" over his actions are "correct" and admits the incident was "unjustafiable".
"I apologize to the whole sports world," he began. "This morning, with a clear mind, I wish it had been just a bad dream.
"I think and I think back to those moments, I made a disgraceful gesture, I was not a man!
"A man would finish the race and then go into Race Direction to try and get justice for the previous episodes. I should not have reacted to provocations.
"The criticisms are correct and I understand the resentment towards me. I want to apologize to everyone who believed in me and all those who felt hurt by my action.
"An image of me and of sport has come out, everything, horrible. I'm not like that, who knows me well knows! In my career, I've always been a good rider.
"Last year I was one of the few who did not receive any penalties, I never put someone else's life in jeopardy, on the contrary, I have always maintained that there are dangerous pilots, on the track, for riding style.
"It's true, unfortunately I have an impulsive character, but my intention was certainly not to hurt a pilot like me but I wanted to make him understand that what he was doing was dangerous and that I could have made some mistakes as well as he he had just made them to me!
"I do not want to justify myself, I know that my gesture is not justifiable, I just want to apologize to everyone. Now I will have time to reflect and clear my ideas."
MV Agusta boss: 2019 Moto2 'won't happen'
The Italian is set to join the Forward-run MV Agusta squad for the latter's grand prix return next year, though MV boss Giovanni Castiglioni said in an Instagram post he will “oppose” the move, while branding the incident as the “worst and saddest thing” he has ever seen in motorcycle racing.
“This has been the worst and saddest thing I have ever seen in a bike race,” Castiglioni fumed.
“True sportsmen would never act this way. If I was [MotoGP owners] Dorna I would ban him from world racing.
“Regarding his contract for a future position as a rider of MV Agusta Moto2, I will oppose myself in every way to stop it – it won't happen.”
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