Drivers banned from Monza after ‘pepper spray’ brawl with security personnel
Throughout motorsport history, it has not been uncommon for drivers to get into fights with one another, such as after a crash. During the GT4 European Series at Monza, however, the confrontation was not with an opponent, but with track personnel. Brothers Thibaut and Hugo Mogica, driving the #51 Team CMR Ginetta, were the perpetrators of such a shocking incident. According to a stewards’ report, “the incident originated with a sort of miscommunication at the entrance of the paddock due to a car pass issue, and continued due to the fact that the car with drivers did not stop upon the staff security order. After that, the escalation of the incident increased with a fight between the drivers and guests and service staff, who used defence spray.” The behaviour of the drivers of car 51 is not acceptable and, contrary to the interest of the motorsport, constitutes a serious breach of obligation of conduct and safety applicable to all competitors and drivers. The brothers were handed three penalties: a €5,000 fine, suspended until the end of the season in case of a similar infringement; suspension from the second round that followed; but more seriously, they were thrown out of all reserved areas of the event at Monza. Naturally, incidents like this are extremely rare in larger European and international motorsport classes. Physical violence against track personnel is one of the biggest taboos in the motorsports world. It is not only an attack on an individual, but also an indirect attack on the circuit and the organisation of the racing class. That the staff felt threatened to such an extent that they had to use pepper spray makes the incident even more damaging. It remains to be seen whether the Mogica brothers will later be punished more harshly for their transgression.
