Trident terminates banned F2 racer Ferrucci’s contract 

Formula 2 team Trident has terminated the contract of driver Santino Ferrucci after he was banned from four races after being found guilty of deliberately colliding with his teammate at Silverstone.

The American received the hefty punishment, along with a €60,000 fine after intentionally making contact with the rear of fellow Haas Formula 1 development driver Arjun Maini during a cool-down lap after the conclusion of the F2 sprint race at the recent Silverstone round. 

On Wednesday, Trident confirmed it has opted to terminate Ferrucci’s contract with the team, meaning he will not return to the Italian squad after he has served his four-race ban that will see him miss the next two rounds in Hungary and Belgium. 

Ferrucci apologised for his behaviour at the British Grand Prix venue for actions he described as a “mental lapse”, which included further regulation infringements such as driving his car without a glove on while using his mobile on the way back to the F2 paddock. 

It later emerged F2 had blocked a request from Ferrucci to run a livery bearing US president Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan. 

Trident, which also cited payment issues for the reason it terminated Ferrucci's contract, is set to announce his replacement for the remainder of the 2018 season in due course. 

"This decision was motivated by the events - which are now of public domain - occurred at Silverstone, as well as by the serious breach of driver’s payment obligations," a team statement read. 

"Since the beginning of the championship, the driver justified its payments’ default with alleged failure by his sponsors to fulfil their obligations.

"It seems weird that, despite such kind of issues, Santino Ferrucci had the resources needed to enter the Detroit IndyCar race from June 1st to 3rd while, at the same time, he was not honouring his agreement with Trident Motorsport."