Leventis Given Four-Year Racing Ban in Doping Case

Photo: Strakka Racing

Nick Leventis has received a four-year ban from motorsports after testing positive for two illegal drugs following last year’s California 8 Hours Intercontinental GT Challenge round.

In a case released by the FIA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee late last month, the Strakka Racing team owner/driver was found to had the exogenous aromatase inhibitor drug Anastrozole as well as Drostanolone, an anabolic steroid, in his system following a doping test on Oct. 28 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Both substances are prohibited “at all times” by the FIA, with Leventis not having a therapeutic use exemption at the time.

According to the FIA document, Leventis was initially notified on Jan. 21 and given a provisional suspension on Jan. 30.

On Feb. 19, Leventis wrote to the FIA declaring his retirement from motorsports, and later admitted the presence of the two drugs and the anti-doping violation.

“The driver has claimed, in later correspondence dated 25 March 2019, that the commission of the anti-doping rule violation was unintentional, explaining that the anastrozole was prescribed by a doctor and that the drostanolone was supplied to him by a personal trainer,” the FIA statement read.

“The driver says that the substances were administered without any intention to enhance his performance, and that he did not know there was a risk that the administration of the substances would result in an anti-doping rule violation.

“However, given that he has retired from motor sport, the driver has indicated that he does not wish to fight the anti-doping proceedings against him and he is therefore prepared to accept the consequences prescribed by the FIA ADR.”

Leventis and his No. 42 Strakka Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 has been disqualified from the 2018 California 8 Hours, where his specimen was taken.

It has given the GT3 Pro-Am class win to the No. 2 DXDT Racing Mercedes of David Askew, Ryan Dalziel and Mike Hedlund, nearly eight months after the conclusion of the event.

While having been a mainstay with the British squad through its LMP1, LMP2 and GT3 programs, Leventis had been noticeably absent from Strakka’s lineup this year, without a reason given until now.

His ban runs through Oct. 28, 2022.

The team has two cars entered for this weekend’s Total 24 Hours of Spa, including a factory Mercedes-AMG backed entry that it has been campaigned since the second round of the IGTC season at Laguna Seca in March.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John