A motorbike racer who pulled his rival's brake while hurtling down a straight at more than 100mph has been sacked by his team.

Romano Fenati pulled up alongside his countryman Stefano Manzi as they accelerated out of a corner at Sunday's Moto2 race in San Marino.

Video then shows him reaching across with his left hand and squeezing the front brake as the pair reached around 130mph.

Manzi's machine wobbled and swerved and he briefly lost his grip on the bike with his leg.

Image: Romano Fenati apologised and said he wished it was a bad dream

Fenati, 22, was disqualified and barred from the next two races.


But on Monday his team sacked him for "unsporting, dangerous and damaging conduct".

Marinelli Snipers said that "his irresponsible act endangered the life of another rider and can't be apologised for in any way".

After a barrage of criticism, Fenati also said sorry and insisted he did not intend to harm Manzi.

"I apologise to the world of sport," he said.

"This morning, with a lucid mind, I wish it had just been a bad dream.

Image: British racer Cal Crutchlow said the Italian should be banned for good

"I think about and think back to those moments, I made a disgraceful gesture, I was not a man!"

The incident came after Fenati and Manzi made contact earlier in the race when Manzi tried to overtake - for which he received his own penalty.

British racer Cal Crutchlow, who came third in the premier class MotoGP race, said Fenati "should never race a motorcycle again".

"He should have walked in his garage and his team should have kicked him straight out the back.

"You can't do this to another motorcycle racer. We are risking our lives enough... To grab the brake lever on the straight he deserves to be kicked straight out."

Former American MotoGP rider Colin Edwards, who was commentating on the race, said the incident was "unbelievable" and that Fenati had "put somebody's life in danger".