Espargaro: Shock, shame at Fenati actions

Like most of the paddock, KTM MotoGP rider Pol Espargaro was stunned by Romano Fenati's actions in Sunday's Misano Moto2 race.

Angry after an earlier clash with Stefano Manzi, Fenati reached over and grabbed his rivals front straight while accelerating at highspeed on a straight.

Manzi kept control, with Fenati black flagged and later given a two-race ban. Manzi received a six-place grid penalty for forcing Fenati off-track in their earlier clash.

"This is something that we hope to never, ever, ever see again in racing," Espargaro said. "This is not racing. I feel shame if someone watches the races on TV and sees a professional rider do something like that.

"I mean, you can be frustrated. You can be really angry. But this is something that riders can never do."

Speaking before the two-race ban was announced, Espargaro added:

"There is no [right] punishment, even a ban of one or two races. A professional rider cannot do something like that. I mean for sure Race Direction will take the measures they think. It's their job.

"But whatever they do, it's not going to be enough because someone who does that is not a professional rider and there is no place in racing for riders who are not professional."

Valentino Rossi, whose VR46 team sacked Fenati midway through the 2016 season, said: "It's bad to see what happened because it's very dangerous, so is very good that nobody was hurt."

Manzi rides for Forward Racing, which Fenati is due to join next season for the start of the team's new collaboration with MV Agusta. The deal is now said to be in doubt.