ISTANBUL, TURKEY (12th AUGUST): The U.I.M., the world sanctioning body for powerboat racing around the globe, based in the Principality of Monaco, has announced that Italian driver Guido Cappellini, 5-time World Champion and leader of the Laserline/Castrol racing team, has been suspended for 2 races, fined $10,000 and forced to reimburse the costs of the timing equipment he damaged last Saturday at the Grand Prix of Bulgaria.

Cappellini, the leading pilot in the points battle for the 2000 World Championship on the U.I.M. F1 World Championship for powerboating, is scheduled to miss the September 3rd event in his hometown of Como, Italy and the following weekends event in Vienna, Austria on September 10th. Cappellini will be able to appeal the ruling within a 48 hour period.