Nieto fined for Alfonsi assault.

The Misano race committee has decided to impose a $3000 fine on Fonsi Nieto following his unprovoked attack on rival Lorenzo Alfonsi towards the end of the second Superbike qualifying session at the Italian circuit.

The incident followed hot on the heels of a similarly physical altercation between Yukio Kagayama and Jose Luis Cardoso on Friday and, for the second time this weekend, it was all caught by an eagle-eyed TV cameraman for the viewing pleasure of those around the circuit.

Nieto pulled up alongside a stationary Alfonsi at the end of the session, before the pair started having a heated and animated debate. From the body language of Nieto, it appeared that he felt Alfonsi hadn't been looking where he was going during the closing moments of qualifying and, while the Italian seemed to be explaining himself, Nieto lashed out, hitting Alfonsi's visor and knocking it off. Nieto then rode off.

The cause of Nieto's ire unfortunately wasn't caught on television, and so the incident looks particularly bad. The Spaniard later claimed that Alfonsi had slowed on a corner after putting in his own fast lap and was therefore hampering others. The explanation did little to soften the blow that was to follow, however, with Nieto's hefty $3000 fine three times what Kagayama and Cardoso had to shell out for their similar incident.