Last updated on .From the section Motorsport

Italian rider Romano Fenati has been banned for the rest of the year after pulling a rival's brake lever while travelling at 135mph during a race.

The 22-year-old was initially banned for two races after the incident during the San Marino Moto2 on 9 September.

He was also sacked by the Marinelli Snipers team and lost his ride at Forward Racing next season.

The International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) withdrew his licence until the end of 2018 on Friday.

It follows a meeting between Fenati and the governing body in which he was asked to explain his actions.

"A new FIM licence for the 2019 season may be granted to him subject to the conditions laid down in the FIM regulations," it said in a statement.

Fenati was disqualified after 23 laps for "irresponsible riding" when he grabbed the brake lever of compatriot Stefano Manzi, who briefly lost his balance before regaining control.

His actions followed Manzi's attempted overtake a few laps earlier. The pair made contact as Manzi overtook on the inside, with both riders running off the track, losing several positions and dropping out of the points.

Fenati later apologised for what he called a "disgraceful gesture".

FIM said it had reminded Fenati of the "profound influence high-level athletes can have on fans and young people, and urged him to be mindful of his responsibility to set a positive example in future."