Disgraced kart racer Luca Corberi has been hit with a 15-year racing ban by the FIA for violent behaviour that went viral last year.
The Italian was competing in the FIA KZ Karting World Championship final in October last year when he crashed out of the event after a collision with Paolo Ippolito.
In the moments that followed, Corberi ignored the instructions of marshals and outrageously threw his bumper at other karters, still competing on a live race track, presumably aiming for Ippolito.
The pair clashed again in parc fermé where Corberi, aged 23, attacked his rival and engaged in a fistfight, with footage of both incidents going viral on social media.
A lengthy investigation was launched by the FIA, with a statement being released on Monday confirming Corberi’s 15-year racing ban.
FIA statement in full:
Case IT-2021-01: Disciplinary procedure against Mr Luca Corberi
On 4 October 2020, at the South Garda Karting circuit in Lonato, in the framework of the 2020 FIA KZ Karting World Championship Final, Mr Luca Corberi was involved in the following incidents:
(i) he threw the front fairing of his kart to the track towards other drivers who were still competing;
(ii) he crossed the track several times at different spots, in the middle of the race, disobeying the instructions given to him by the officials;
(iii) he physically attacked another driver in parc fermé.
On 1 February 2021, the President of the FIA decided to submit this case to the International Tribunal pursuant to Article 4(ii) b) of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules.
Decision of the International Tribunal
The International Tribunal, after having heard the parties and examined their submissions, decided to:
– Confirm the disqualification of Mr Luca Corberi from the competition of Lonato, Italy (2020 FIA Karting World Championship-KZ);
– Impose to Mr Luca Corberi a suspension (Article 12.3.1.n of the International Sporting Code[1]) and a ban (Articles 5.2.2.b[2] and 5.2.2.d[3] of the Judicial and Disciplinary Rules) for a period of 15 years starting on the date of coming into force of the decision of the International Tribunal.
The decision of the International Tribunal may be appealed within a 7-day time limit before the FIA International Court of Appeal.
The International Tribunal was presided over by Mr Rui BOTICA SANTOS (Portugal), and included Mr Xavier BONE MATHEU (Spain), Mr Patrick RAEDERSDORF (Switzerland) and Mrs Waltraud WÜNSCH (Germany).
(1) The Suspension deprives, for a specified period of time, the person subject to it of the right to take part, directly or indirectly and in any capacity whatsoever, in (i) any Competition organised or regulated by the FIA or the ASNs (or placed under their authority), and (ii) any preparatory testing and training organised or regulated by the FIA or the ASNs (or placed under their authority) or organised by their members or licence‐holders.
(2) Ban on taking part or exercising a role, directly or indirectly, in competitions, events or championships organised directly or indirectly on behalf of or by the FIA, or subject to the regulations and decisions of the FIA.
(3) Ban on exercising within the FIA any duties whatsoever as an executive officer, a member of a commission, or a president of a commission, or any duties of any nature whatsoever on behalf of the FIA and/or within a body of the FIA.
E o covardão ainda foi atrás do moleque, claramente menor, na surpresa. Que vacilão. https://t.co/9pEH7bTj7O pic.twitter.com/Ym7YhFwpcy
— Estagiário da F1 (@EstagiariodaF1) October 4, 2020