IN
THE
WIND
P36
AEGERTER STRIPPED OF MISANO MOTO2 WIN
S
wiss Moto2 rider Dominique
Aegerter has been stripped
of the second grand prix victory
in his career at Misano three
races ago, in a shock disquali-
fication notice issued late on
Sunday evening at Motegi.
The sanction is for a techni-
cal infringement, with his Kiefer
team accused of having used
a non-approved oil at the San
Marino GP at Misano, where the
27-year-old rider claimed a clas-
sic win ahead of his compatriot
Thomas Luthi.
It was the first-ever one-two for
Swiss riders in motorcycle grand
prix history.
The threat has been hanging
over the rider since the Aragon
GP, where the FIM notified the
team that after tests, they had
been, "found to be using an oil
outside the FIM Moto2 specifi-
cations."
The rules state, "Only engine
oil from the appointed oil sup-
plier is permitted. The use of
the official oil without any addi-
tion or alteration is mandatory."
Protesting innocence, the
team asserted the right for a re-
test, using the "B sample." At
Motegi, they were informed that
this had also failed the test.
The team issued a statement,
saying, "The FIM's decision is
devastating for Kiefer Racing.
We have to accept this rul-
ing, but we strongly deny any
wrongdoing.
"This irregularity remains
an inexplicable mystery to the
team management and the
engineers in Aegerter's crew.
Kiefer Racing declares categor-
ically that no additives whatso-
ever have been used."
The disqualification hands
the win to Luthi, adding five
points to his championship
total, and bringing him to within
19 of title rival Franco Mor-
bidelli. CN
Dominique Aegerter's brilliant win at Misano is no more after the machine failed two fork oil samples.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
