Fierce fight at the 500 Milhas de Kart event

- Races
Rodrigo Dantas and Tuka Rocha end up fighting after several contacts during the 500 Milhas de Kart event.


A desplicable fight occurred during the famous 500 Milhas at Granja Viana kart circuit in Brazil. Rodrigo Dantas, who was in Massa's team, was holding up former World Series by Nissan racer Tuka Rocha, who was econd and trying to catch the leader. After several contacts between them, Rocha pushed Dantas out of the track. 

The two drivers got out of their karts and started fighting: Dantas pinned Rocha to the ground while repeatedly punching his helmet. Security guards had to intervene to stop the fight. The episode costed the disqualification of all karts in the two teams - MDG Matrix and Sambaiba Centerbus Racing. There had previously been a running battle between the teams throughout the race, which lasted just under 12 hours, and Massa said this was the catalyst for what transpired.

"From what I saw, the whole team should be disqualified," Massa said of the previous encounters between them. "But that did not happen, and what happened next was a war inside the track. For me, this is very sad and sadder still to see my team within that. It was not my decision - I was driving the [leading] kart - but I apologise to everyone for what happened, because I have never seen anything like it in my career. The competition is inside the track, but never in this way."

Event organiser Felipe Giaffone said after the race: "We will take appropriate steps to banish the culprits from these unfortunate scenes."

In the meanwhile Rubens Barrichello's Hero # 71 team took the win of the event thanks to the disqualifications.The team was composed by Barrichello, Giaffone, Rafael Suzuki, Gary Carlton, Diego Nunes, Beto Cavaleiro, Porto Kiko, Arthur Leist, Rafael Martins, Dudu Barrichello and Joao Cunha.

"It's a unique and incredible situation to win the 500 Miles with my son," said Barrichello. "I love him so much and all of our team are to be congratulated for the great work they have done."

Son Dudu said: "It was a strange ending, something I had never really seen happen on the track, but I'm really happy for the win and for getting on the podium first with my dad."

Interviews: Autosport 

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