Update | Moto3 team fires mechanic amid Tom Booth-Amos assault furore
Tom Booth-Amos reveals details of a physical attack during 2019 Thai Moto3 race by one of his mechanics, who has since been fired by rival team
The mechanic accused of assaulting former Moto3 rider Tom Booth-Amos at the Thailand MotoGP event in 2019 has had his contract terminated by his latest employers, it has been confirmed.
The British rider - who contested a full season of the 2019 Moto3 World Championship with the CIP-Greenpower outfit - was thrust into the spotlight last week after a video emerged on social media of an altercation following his retirement from the Buriram race three years ago.
In it, Booth-Amos can be heard making an expletive towards a team member before heading into the team tent. The team member follows him before appearing to grab his neck and then kicking him.
The emergence of the video drew swift exposure and comment on social media from a number of high-profile riders, including Jonathan Rea.
Prompting FIM, Dorna and IRTA to investigate, it has released a statement confirming CIP was unaware the incident had taken place and that the mechanic was now employed by another Moto3 team.
However, the statement adds that the unnamed team has terminated the mechanic’s employment in light of the video’s emergence.
“Statement from the Championship following the recently published images regarding an incident that occurred at the 2019 Thai GP involving a dispute between a Moto3 rider and a member of his team, who is seen physically assaulting him:
“The video of this incident was widely shared on social media and the actions of the team member in question raised immediate and serious concerns. The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports strongly condemn this behaviour.
“Furthermore, it was learned that the person in question continues to work in the paddock and is now employed by a different team, which was unaware of this incident.
“The team has decided to terminate the employment of this staff member, who will not be returning to work for them after the Malaysian Grand Prix.
“The FIM, alongside IRTA and Dorna Sports, considers this to be the correct decision and fully supports the action taken by the team in terminating this person’s contract.
“Abusive behaviour must not and will not be tolerated. All parties will continue to work to make the MotoGP Paddock the safest possible working environment.”
"I was told to keep quiet" - Tom Booth-Amos
The official statement from MotoGP representatives comes after Booth-Amos issues his own statement explaining his version of events, primarily why it took three years for the incident to come to light..
Next time our rider says it’s the bike not him!! pic.twitter.com/LADQ53Ad9H
— Steve Brogan (@steve17brogan) September 30, 2022
In the video Booth-Amos - still wearing full protective suit and helmet - can be heard saying after a few inaudible words ‘it’s f***ing simple’ to another team member, who then follows him into the CIP-Greenpower tent, grabs him by the helmet before kicking and punching him repeatedly.
While it is unclear as to where the original video is sourced from, the clip was posted to Twitter by former BSB rider Steve Brogan on 30 September with the line: ‘Next time our rider says it’s the bike not him!!’
The clip went viral with a number of prominent motorcycle racers - including Glenn Irwin, Terry Rymer and Loris Baz - chipping into the thread to express their shock at the footage, while six-time WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea retweeted it.
It’s renewed prominence has led to Booth-Amos - now competing in the WorldSSP Championship after finishing runner-up in the WorldSSP 300 series last year - to issue a statement explaining the lead up to the attack and claim he was told to ‘keep quiet’ from revealing the incident to the public, Dorna or his own management.
Regarding the video that’s gone around today. I’m happy to be out that place, that’s just one of the things that happened in 2019. pic.twitter.com/td4IKCNnrg
— Tom Booth-Amos (@TomBoothAmos) September 30, 2022
The video has also garnered a response from the Swiss CIP-Greenpower team denouncing the violence used and confirming the unnamed attacker in question to no longer be with the team.
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