Romano Fenati

Last updated

Romano Fenati
Romano Fenati 2014.jpg
NationalityItalian
Born (1996-01-15) 15 January 1996 (age 28)
Ascoli Piceno, Italy
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Moto2 World Championship
Active years 2018, 2022
Manufacturers Kalex (2018)
Boscoscuro (2022)
Championships 0
2022 championship position27th (7 pts)
StartsWinsPodiums Poles F. laps Points
18000021
Moto3 World Championship
Active years 20122017, 20192021,2023
Manufacturers FTR Honda (20122013)
KTM (20142016)
Honda (2017, 2019), (2023-)
Husqvarna (20202021)
Championships 0
2023 championship position20th (35 pts)
StartsWinsPodiums Poles F. laps Points
16113297141250

Romano Fenati (born 15 January 1996) is an Italian motorcycle racer who competed in the FIM Road Racing World Championship between 2012 and 2023 in the Moto3 and Moto2 categories.

Contents

He was European 125 cc Champion in 2011, [1] championship runner-up of the Italian 125GP series, and also competed in the Spanish 125GP series.

He competed beween 2012 and 2023 in Moto3, winning thirteen races, but raced in Moto2 for parts of the 2018 and 2022 Moto2 seasons, each time being released by his teams before its end. He finally left Moto3 after the 2023 season as he had reached the maximum permitted age of 28 years old.

Fenati's conduct led to disciplinary action from teams and authorities. The most serious of these was in September 2018, when he pulled the brake lever of Moto2 rival Stefano Manzi during a race. Fenati's racing licence was revoked for the rest of the season and he was released by his team Marinelli Snipers. [2] [3]

Career

Born in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, Fenati is featured in the 2016 documentary film Il Mago Mancini ("Mancini, the Motorcycle Wizard"). [4]

Moto3 World Championship

Team Italia FMI (2012)

Fenati at the 2012 Australian Grand Prix Romano Fenati.jpg
Fenati at the 2012 Australian Grand Prix

For the 2012 Moto3 season, Fenati signed with Team Italia FMI riding an FTR Honda. At Round 1 in Qatar, he finished 2nd in his debut race. He then went on to claim his first victory at the second race of the season in Jerez, Spain. In doing so, Fenati became the first rider since Noboru Ueda in 1991 to take two podiums in his first two Grand Prix starts and the youngest ever rider in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history to lead the World Championship. He finished 6th in the championship. [5]

San Carlo Team Italia (2013)

The 2013 season was disappointing for Fenati as he did not record any podium finishes, with his best position being 5th. He finished 10th in the final championship standings, with 73 points.

Sky Racing Team VR46 (2014–2016)

For the 2014 Moto3 season, Fenati signed with Valentino Rossi's Sky Racing Team by VR46. It was an up and down season for Fenati, as he scored four podiums in the first six races and ultimately recorded four wins during the season. However, inconsistent results ultimately left him in 5th position in the championship with 176 points.

The 2015 season was also an under-performance for Fenati. Though he maintained some consistency finishing in the top five in eight races, including a victory at Le Mans. Poor qualifying positions for Fenati resulted in the loss of vital points, and he finished the season with 176 points as he did in 2014 but placed one position higher in the standings.

Fenati started the 2016 season with a pole position at Qatar. However, he only managed 4th in the race. He finished in 20th in Argentina, before his first win of the season in the United States. He was seventh at Jerez, before a second-place finish at Le Mans, losing out to Brad Binder by 0.099 seconds. Fenati qualified on pole at Mugello, but failed to finish the race. He was fourth in both Catalunya and Netherlands, before a pointless 18 position in Germany. Fenati was dropped by Sky Racing VR46 in Austria as a disciplinary action for disagreeing with Uccio Salucci. On 16 August the VR46 team terminated their contract with Romano for the 2016 and 2017 seasons stating behavioural issues in conflict with team policy as the reason behind the split.

Marinelli Rivacold Snipers (2017)

In 2017, Fenati joined Marinelli Rivacold Snipers team and had his best season to date: three wins and five second places to finish as runner-up in the Moto3 championship.

Moto2 World Championship

Marinelli Snipers Moto2 (2018)

On 9 September 2018, at the 2018 San Marino Grand Prix, Fenati was immediately disqualified after grabbing the front brake lever of rival rider Stefano Manzi, [6] which resulted in a two-race ban. His Marinelli Snipers team then terminated their contract with Fenati following the incident. [7] In November 2018 it was announced that he would return for the 2019 season in the Moto3 class. [8] [9]

Return to Moto3

VNE Snipers (2019)

He competed for VNE Snipers team for the whole of the 2019 Moto3 season.

Sterilgarda Max Racing Team (2020–2021)

A high point of this time with the team was qualifying in pole position for the 2021 Austrian GP, a feat that he had last achieved at the British Grand Prix in 2017. [10]

Rivacold Snipers Team (2023)

For the 2023 season, Fenati competed in Moto3 with Rivacold Snipers Team.

Return to Moto2

Speed Up Racing (2022)

Fenati joined Speed Up Racing to compete in Moto2 for the 2022 season. After the first few races, in May 2022, Fenati was sacked from the team because of poor results. [11] [12] [13]

Controversies

Fenati has interfered with other riders a number of times. In the 2015 Argentine Grand Prix, he kicked Niklas Ajo during the warm-up and also turned Ajo's engine off during the practice start. As a consequence he was forced to start the race at the back of the field. [14] The following year he was sacked from the VR46 Team for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. [15]

In September 2018, Fenati pulled Stefano Manzi's front brake lever during a race when both were travelling at more than 200 km/h (120 mph). He apologized but was dropped from the Marinelli Snipers Team for the offence. [16] [17] His future contract to ride for Forward Racing using MV Agusta machines in 2019 was cancelled on 11 September. [18] On 12 September, he announced his immediate retirement from racing, while suggesting that Manzi's own actions were partially responsible for the incident. [19] An Italian consumer-rights group, Codacons, subsequently stated that it had raised the matter with local prosecutors and asked them to investigate "any relevant criminal offences, including that of attempted murder". [20] The authorities later determined that a charge of "private violence", similar to a road rage incident, was more appropriate. [21]

On 21 September, in addition to a preliminary two-race ban imposed earlier, after meeting with the FIM at their headquarters in Mies, Switzerland, on 18 September, it was announced that Fenati's racing licence was revoked for the remainder of the 2018 season. [3] He made a comeback to Moto3 for the 2019 season.

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

By season

SeasonClassMotorcycleTeamRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPtsPlcd
2012 Moto3 FTR Honda Team Italia FMI1714021366th
2013 Moto3 FTR Honda San Carlo Team Italia1700007310th
2014 Moto3 KTM Sky Racing Team by VR46 1846031765th
2015 Moto3 KTM Sky Racing Team VR46 1813111764th
2016 Moto3 KTM Sky Racing Team VR46 912229310th
2017 Moto3 Honda Marinelli Rivacold Snipers1838122482nd
2018 Moto2 Kalex Marinelli Snipers Moto21200001421st
2019 Moto3 Honda VNE Snipers1611027616th
2020 Moto3 Husqvarna Sterilgarda Max Racing Team 1511017714th
2021 Moto3 Husqvarna Sterilgarda Max Racing Team 1814311605th
2022 Moto2 Boscoscuro Speed Up Racing 60000727th
2023 Moto3 Honda Rivacold Snipers Team1500003520th
Total17913297141271

By class

ClassSeasons1st GP1st Pod1st WinRaceWinPodiums Pole FLapPtsWChmp
Moto32012–2017, 2019–2021, 2023 2012 Qatar 2012 Qatar 2012 Spain 161132971412500
Moto22018, 2022 2018 Qatar 180000210
Total2012–2023179132971412710

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearClassBike1234567891011121314151617181920PosPts
2012 Moto3 FTR Honda QAT
2
SPA
1
POR
Ret
FRA
Ret
CAT
9
GBR
7
NED
12
GER
24
ITA
2
INP
5
CZE
8
RSM
3
ARA
Ret
JPN
10
MAL
20
AUS
6
VAL
18
6th136
2013 Moto3 FTR Honda QAT
15
AME
Ret
SPA
9
FRA
7
ITA
Ret
CAT
15
NED
14
GER
13
INP
9
CZE
18
GBR
12
RSM
10
ARA
8
MAL
9
AUS
14
JPN
5
VAL
11
10th73
2014 Moto3 KTM QAT
12
AME
2
ARG
1
SPA
1
FRA
Ret
ITA
1
CAT
5
NED
18
GER
Ret
INP
2
CZE
11
GBR
16
RSM
11
ARA
1
JPN
7
AUS
Ret
MAL
Ret
VAL
14
5th176
2015 Moto3 KTM QAT
Ret
AME
8
ARG
8
SPA
6
FRA
1
ITA
3
CAT
8
NED
5
GER
4
INP
4
CZE
6
GBR
12
RSM
4
ARA
3
JPN
28
AUS
6
MAL
5
VAL
Ret
4th176
2016 Moto3 KTM QAT
4
ARG
20
AME
1
SPA
7
FRA
2
ITA
Ret
CAT
4
NED
4
GER
18
AUT
DNS
CZE GBR RSM ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL 10th93
2017 Moto3 Honda QAT
5
ARG
7
AME
1
SPA
2
FRA
Ret
ITA
13
CAT
2
NED
2
GER
2
CZE
2
AUT
13
GBR
7
RSM
1
ARA
10
JPN
1
AUS
6
MAL
7
VAL
4
2nd248
2018 Moto2 Kalex QAT
24
ARG
19
AME
16
SPA
Ret
FRA
7
ITA
Ret
CAT
Ret
NED
Ret
GER
16
CZE
Ret
AUT
11
GBR
C
RSM
DSQ
ARA THA JPN AUS MAL VAL 21st14
2019 Moto3 Honda QAT
9
ARG
16
AME
Ret
SPA
Ret
FRA
Ret
ITA
Ret
CAT
7
NED
11
GER
4
CZE
8
AUT
1
GBR
Ret
RSM
DNS
ARA THA JPN
Ret
AUS
12
MAL
11
VAL
17
16th76
2020 Moto3 Husqvarna QAT
17
SPA
13
ANC
12
CZE
9
AUT
17
STY
17
RSM
8
EMI
1
CAT
6
FRA
Ret
ARA
4
TER
19
EUR
13
VAL
12
POR
20
14th77
2021 Moto3 Husqvarna QAT
11
DOH
10
POR
7
SPA
2
FRA
10
ITA
6
CAT
11
GER
13
NED
3
STY
3
AUT
5
GBR
1
ARA
14
RSM
Ret
AME
12
EMI
7
ALR
7
VAL
12
5th160
2022 Moto2 Boscoscuro QAT
15
INA
19
ARG
18
AME
15
POR
11
SPA
Ret
FRA ITA CAT
GER
NED
GBR
AUT
RSM
ARA
JPN
THA
AUS
MAL
VAL
27th7
2023 Moto3 Honda POR
19
ARG
13
AME
16
SPA
11
FRA
19
ITA
17
GER
18
NED
8
GBR
10
AUT
17
CAT
14
RSM
10
IND
DNS
JPN INA AUS THA MAL
Ret
QAT
11
VAL
16
20th35

* Season still in progress.

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References

  1. "European Championship 125cc Albacete: trionfo italiano, Romano Fenati è campione europeo" (in Italian). Corsedimoto. 9 October 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  2. "Romano Fenati retires from motorcycling after being sacked for pulling brake of Moto2 rival Stefano Manzi". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  3. 1 2 Fenati's FIM licence withdrawn for remainder of 2018 motorsport.com , 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018
  4. "Il Mago Mancini (2016), di Jeffrey Zani" (in Italian). CinemaItaliano.info. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  5. Lewis, Lisa (29 April 2012). "Fantastic Fenati romps to first win". Crash.net. Crash Media Group. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  6. "Watch: Moto2 rider disqualified for grabbing rival's brake lever". Independent.co.uk . 10 September 2018.
  7. sport, Guardian (10 September 2018). "Romano Fenati sacked by team after pulling rival's brake lever at high speed". the Guardian.
  8. Romano Fenati: Rider banned for pulling Stefano Manzi brake lever to return BBC Sport, Motorsport , 19 November 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2018
  9. "2019 provisional entry lists revealed". motogp.com. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  10. "MotoGP: Fenati returns to pole four years later". US. 15 August 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  11. Moto2. Fenati's future hangs in the balance. Boscoscuro: "I'm not happy with him." www.gpone.com, 30 April 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022
  12. "Moto2, LATEST NEWS - SpeedUp team splits with Romano Fenati". GPOne. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  13. Moto2 sacking stokes MotoGP riders' contract 'anger' the-race.com, 15 May 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022
  14. "MotoGP racer kicks competitor while going around a corner, then shuts off his bike". USA Today. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  15. "Rossi confirms Romano Fenati has left the VR46 team". GPxtra. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  16. "Sacked Fenati apologises for grabbing rival rider's brake" . Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  17. Church, Ben (10 September 2018). "Romano Fenati: Moto2 rider apologizes for grabbing rival's brake". CNN. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  18. "Fenati out of MV Agusta and Forward Racing Team project". MotoGP.com. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  19. "Romano Fenati retires after having his Moto2 contract cancelled over Stefano Manzi clash". Independent.co.uk . 11 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  20. "Motorcycle Racer Fired From Team After Grabbing Competitor's Brake During Race". roadandtrack.com. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  21. "Banned Moto2 rider Romano Fenati ordered to court over brake pull incident". Autoweek. 6 September 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
Sporting positions
Preceded by European 125cc
Champion

2011
Succeeded by