Bagnaia sorry after drink driving

Ducati rider apologises for ‘serious misjudgement’ after non-fatal accident

PARIS:

Francesco Bagnaia apologised for a "serious misjudgement" after the normally abstemious Italian MotoGP rider was found to have been drink driving on the Spanish holiday island of Ibiza.

No one else was involved in the accident early on Tuesday but police sources told AFP that the results of Bagnaia's breathalyser test showed "he was three times over the limit of what is authorised (0.25mg per litre of air exhaled)" under Spanish law.

Bagnaia should face trial as anyone found to be returning a level over 0.60mg is considered to have committed a misdemeanour.

If found guilty he could be compelled to carry out community service and be fined – he could also be banned from driving from between one to four years.

A police source discounted the possibility of Bagnaia going to jail – the offence carries a possible prison term of three to six months – as "the damage is very light and there is no one else involved."

The 25-year-old Ducati star spun off the road in his car after leaving a night club where he had been celebrating his victory in the Dutch Grand Prix on June 26.

It was his third victory of the campaign and came after he failed to finish in the previous two races – last season's championship runner-up trails defending champion and series leader Fabio Quartararo by 66 points.

"On leaving a nightclub at 03h00 in the morning (Tuesday) I was approaching a roundabout when I finished with my front wheels in a ditch without involving other vehicles or people," he wrote on social media.

"The alcohol level taken by the police was above that authorised by Spanish law."

Bagnaia added he was "sorry" for this "serious misjudgement which should not have happened."

Bagnaia said he had "learned his lesson" and warned his fans: "Never get behind the wheel after drinking."