Disputed Engines and Disqualification: Court of Appeal Overturns the Leopard-Fernández Case

Appeal upheld by the CAI, the International Court of Appeal. A major development has emerged in the widely reported case involving Leopard Racing and its rider Adrian Fernandez, who had been handed a heavy six-GP ban after engines deemed to have been tampered with were identified in those six events (we told you about it here). The team had immediately denied any irregularities and vowed to fight the decision through the proper channels, as it has now done, securing its first victory in the Moto3 case. However, the matter may not yet be over: what happens next depends on the parties involved, and the FIM could file a counter-appeal with the civil court of the Swiss canton of Vaud within one month.

Today, 15 October 2026, the International Court of Appeal (CAI) issued its ruling on:

The appeals lodged by Leopard Racing and Mr Adrián Fernández against two decisions issued by the FIM Appeal Stewards on 5 June 2026 concerning the non-compliance of engines 810 and 811.

The FIM International Court of Appeal has ruled as follows:

“I. The appeals lodged by Leopard Racing and Mr Adrián Fernández against the two decisions issued by the FIM Race Stewards on 5 June 2026 concerning the non-compliance of engines 810 and 811 are admissible.

II. The appeals are upheld on the merits, and the decisions issued by the FIM Appeal Stewards on 5 June 2026 are set aside.

III. The competent sporting authorities are instructed to draw the appropriate consequences from this decision, where applicable.

“Pursuant to Article 5, paragraph 3, of the FIM Statutes and Article 75 of the Swiss Civil Code, an appeal against this decision may be lodged with the competent court of the Canton of Vaud within one month of receipt of this reasoned decision by the FIM International Court of Appeal.”

We would like to thank all our fans for their unwavering support throughout this difficult period. We express our sincere gratitude to our experts, all the witnesses and our legal team, who have restored honour and dignity to Leopard Racing and its rider, Adrián Fernández.

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