Luca Corberi throws a bumper at Paolo Ippolito

Italy’s motor club recommends immediate bans for Corberi pair and circuit

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The sporting council of the Automobile Club d’Italia – Italy’s national automobile club – has recommended immediate action against kart racer Luca Corberi, his father and the Lonato circuit following the behaviour of the pair at last weekend’s FIA karting world championship.

Corberi, who retired from the race, threw the bumper from his kart at Paolo Ippolito as his rival passed by. Video footage then showed Corberi and another person, believed to be his father Marco, physically attacking Ippolito in the paddock after the race.

Following a meeting today the ACI issued a statement confirming their “harsh and firm condemnation” of the events, video footage of which was widely shared on social media. The ACI said it intends to propose “the maximum sanction provided for by the regulations” including “the immediate suspension of the licenses of Luca Corberi, Marco Corberi and that of the circuit”. The Corberi family operates the Lonato circuit.

The ACI executive added it “reserves the right to take further initiatives” in relation to what it previously described as a “very serious episode”.

On Monday the 23-year-old racer issued a public statement apologising for his behaviour. BCrberi said he offered his licence to the stewards of the event, though they did not have the authority to take it away from him, and that he intends not to return to motor racing.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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25 comments on “Italy’s motor club recommends immediate bans for Corberi pair and circuit”

  1. What did the circuit do wrong?

    1. Corberi’s father owns the circuit, so banning the circuit is a way of punishing the owner. He can better sell it, the circuit is too good not to be used.

      1. His father attacked the 16 yr old as well, slam tackling him into the fence. Anyway this has all been done to death, they made a mistake and they will pay for it for the rest of their lives. Any one who says they have never lost their temper is lying and just lucky it wasn’t broadcast globally.

        1. Mr Stuart Bennett
          8th October 2020, 9:59

          @TM There’s losing your temper then there’s a prolonged unprovoked assault. One is in no way a comparison to the other. Especially the father who had nothing to be upset or lose his temper about either. You’ve lost way more than your temper if you’re assaulting a child.

        2. Losing your temper and assaulting a 16 year old without any provocation are two different things. That assault is a mistake that very few people would do in that situation. Most people have at least some self control and sense of right and wrong.

          1. Yes I get it, you want a pound of flesh. Personally I find this public execution style as distasteful as the shameful act we are talking about but as you say not everyone is the same.

          2. tony mansell, the father assaulted multiple individuals within the paddock after the race took place – he did not just attack Paolo, it appears that he then went on to later attack Paolo’s father and possibly also some of the mechanics assisting Paolo.

            This is not a case of “losing your temper” and a momentary rash action – the father had time to consider his actions and chose to assault multiple individuals over an extended period of time.

        3. It is not about losing your temper, it is how you lose your temper.
          The son endangered the lives of other entities unconnected with his grievance right on the race track.
          The son had several minutes to cool down until the end of the race but still went ahead to attack the victim.
          The father a few moments later went ahead to attack the victim.
          I don’t believe in a total ban but some serious sanction. The only people I feel for are those who work at the circuit.

        4. Paolo Ippolito is 31 years old, yes he’s a bit short, but still…

        5. I think he’s 31 years old, not 16.

          1. So what do you want?

            It is totally mystifying that the father ‘went on the rampage’ if that is true. But you don’t know how long someone can lose their temper for, in any case losing ones temper is not an excuse for poor behaviour but people can lose their temper for seconds or minutes or longer. You don’t have any measure to say how long this can happen for. You guess, is all.

          2. petebaldwin (@)
            8th October 2020, 15:46

            That’s true but if crashing our of a kart race leads you to losing your temper and physically attacking your rivals, you should not be allowed to take part in kart races anymore.

    2. @balue Failure to run a FIA-sanctioned event in the proper manner. Having the chief official at the circuit intensify a fight between two competitors could be interpreted as “failure to run a FIA-sanctioned event in the proper manner”.

      Note that it would be only to withdraw the ability to hold FIA-sanctioned events (including those done through national sporting authorities such as the ACI); the FIA does not have the power to ban arrive-and-drive sessions, or privately-organised unofficial competitions.

  2. Both father and son are graduates from the University of Flavio.

    1. Ah. The great university where you are chosen and not the other way around.

    2. I don’t think Flavio ever thumped a rival he didn’t like. He preferred to give them a verbal lecture (which in this case would have been considered a much less serious offence, possibly not even requiring FIA involvement).

  3. I don’t understand why people are calling for a lifetime ban for Luca Corberi. He was not trying to attack
    ippolito. Its clear, even to a blind man, that he was just to dance with him

  4. Banning the circuit is not good.

    Think of the bigger picture – it could deprive the next fisi or trulli the chance making it to F1.

    1. banning the ciruit makes perfect sense if you want to punish the father, he would be force to sell, since south Garda lives on these races. Its worthless if you can hold FIA arrangements.

      After that you could simply lift the ban.

      Regardless of his and his father is sanctioned by FIA, I believe that this matter should be handed over to the local court, since its assault and not just a sporting incident.

    2. Racing Dave, Italy is not short of circuits, and in any case, track bosses being prepared to assault drivers would be more likely to discourage than encourage new talent coming through the ranks.

  5. Utterly disgraceful behaviour – this is on par with a Boxer running into the ring with a sword or a footballer kicking a grenade at an opposing goaly!

  6. … very passionately

    1. That was a reply to vince’s dance comment. Oops

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