Sponsor banned for pit-lane driver assault
By LJ Hutchins
Thursday, October 16th, 2008
Now, here’s something you don’t read about every day – the story of a sponsor who has reportedly taken his investment in a motorsport team a little bit too seriously.
Granted, this is in Australia and not Britain, and therefore strictly speaking off our patch. However we felt it was probably out of the ordinary enough that you’d enjoy reading it. Here it is, as reported by the Victoria Herald-Sun:
Driver in sponsor assault claim
FORD rising star Michael Patrizi claims he was attacked by a sponsor after Sunday’s Bathurst 1000.
The young V8 Supercars driver suffered bruising and cuts to his face when he was allegedly head-butted by a director from electrical testing company Tex Onsite.
The incident occurred after the Bathurst 1000 when Patrizi was walking with his girlfriend in the pit lane at Mt Panorama.
Witnesses allege the director, whose company sponsors the Ford Rising Stars team, ran 15m to confront the 23-year-old Ford rookie before head-butting him.
The attacker was restrained by three men as he questioned Patrizi’s driving ability. Patrizi, who finished 17th, confirmed the incident last night.
“To be honest with you I am still in shock,” he said. “I have no idea why he did it. It is not the sort of thing you need after a race like that.” Read full story here…
A Tex Onsite director has reportedly been banned from all V8 events until the end of 2009. Why are the words “anger management” hovering in front of our eyes?
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Author: LJ Hutchins. Supports McLaren, kind of. Thinks James May gets a rough deal off the other two. Drives a Subaru Impreza but regrets its lack of bright blue paint and gold wheels. Is very nearly old enough to know better but probably never will. Is a supporter member of the BWRDC. LJ has written 1117 articles for us.
