Motorsports

Former IndyCar driver Raphael Matos suspended in Brazil for doping

Raphael Matos has run afoul of a drug test in Brazil, and the local racing federation handed him a two-year suspension as a result.

For those unfamiliar, Matos was once considered a rising star in American open-wheel racing. He showed tremendous early promise along the ladder to Indy, winning both the Atlantic and Indy Lights championships in 2007 and 2008, respectively, before ascending to the IndyCar Series in 2009. But his talent failed to materialize in the big leagues – never scoring a single podium finish – let alone winning a race.

Since dropping out in 2011, Matos has been competing in the Brazilian stock car series, scoring numerous wins last season. After taking a routine drug test during the race at Curitiba this past October, he initially received a 30-day suspension – and has now been banned for two years. That will put him out of commission until 2018, at which point he'll be over 36 years old.

Another single-seat racer, Lucas Foresti scored his maiden win that same weekend, and also failed the drug test. He was similarly suspended, but his case is still pending trial. If found guilty, he'll likely be stripped of the win and possibly hit with a sentence similar to Matos. According to Motorsport.com, the Stock Car Brasil series has had five drivers suspended for doping in the last six years.

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