World Superbike racer Niccolo Canepa was at a track day at Mugello back in 2013 when something strange happened. A fellow rider inexplicably crashed while alongside the former EBR and current Ducati racer. Now there’s video, and you’d have to be blind not to see what went down.
Canepa was riding alongside Davide Cappato when the two seemingly began exchanging gestures and a few helmet-muffled words between the Poggio Secco and Materassi turns. When Cappato got close enough, Canepa is seen grabbing at the other rider’s right handlebar, likely locking the front brake. Milliseconds later, Cappato is flying through the air, landing on the asphalt, and breaking his collarbone in the process.
The incident was recorded by a surveillance camera on track, but it’s hard to make out exactly what happened. Canepa doesn’t deny that he was involved, but claims he didn’t intentionally cause the crash.
That will be up to a judge in Florence, Italy to decide when he goes to trial on September 30th.