Ducati’s First MotoGP Victor Hangs up Helmet
An emotional Loris Capirossi announced that he will retire from motorcycle racing at the end of the year, bookmarking a tremendous career that included the 125 Championship at his first attempt aged 17, 3 World Championships and Ducati’s first MotoGP victory.
38 year old Capirossi made his announcement at a press conference yesterday ahead of the Misano MotoGP round this weekend. 2011 will mark the Italian rider’s 22nd season in Grand Prix competition.
“It’s difficult for me to say this because after 22 seasons this will be my last race in Italy because I have decided to stop. It’s also strange to listen to the other riders talk about testing the new bikes, and I won’t do that.”
Loris won the 125 title in his first attempt and defended the crown in his second season. In 1998 he took the 250 title. In the premier class a title was elusive but he was a race winner finishing 3rd in the 500cc chase in 2001. He took Ducati’s first MotoGP victory in 2003 at Catalunya.
Capirossi’s best chance for a title occurred in 2006 on the Ducati Desmosedici GP6. After the first 6 rounds he was leading the championship with a win, two seconds and a third placing. Sete Gibernau caused a massive turn one pile up that knocked Loris out and set him back for several rounds but he returned to race winning form. That year he won 3 times, more often than title winner Nicky Hayden but ultimately he finished third, 23 points behind the American.
9 time champion and fellow Italian, Valentino Rossi, lauded his countryman:-
“I have a lot of memories (about Loris). I remember his first race in Suzuka in 125cc, and I was a great fan of Loris when he was a rival of (Max) Biaggi!” “Fighting with him on track has been great. We have had a lot of great battles to the last lap and I remember the fight in the 250s for the Championship in 1999, and then in the 500s. What I remember the most is Mugello and Sepang in 2006, fighting with Loris to the last lap. I think he is one of the best riders in this sport.”
link: MotoGP.com
Loris has 99 podiums and he joked with the current title front runners that they should help him out on making it 100 before he end of the season.
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