Loris Capirossi announces retirement in Misano

Loris Capirossi has announced he will retire at the end of the 2011 MotoGP world championship during an emotional press conference at the Misano circuit today.

The 38-year-old said he had decided to call time on the longest Grand Prix career in history, despite having offers to race a private 1000ccc bike and to switch to World Superbikes in 2012.

Capirossi, who is preparing to make his 325th start in Sunday’s Misano clash, decided to retire after he endured a torrid 2011 campaign with the Pramac Ducati squad.

He currently sits 16th in the world championship rankings with only two top ten finishes so far.

Capirossi broke down in tears while confirming his retirement plans during the pre-event press conference in Misano and he told the world’s media: “It is difficult for me to say this after 22 seasons but this for sure is my last race in Italy because I decide to retire at the end of the season. When I do the last race in Valencia, racing for me will stop. I won’t go to a different championship and I will stop racing completely. It is strange to listen to many riders talking about testing new bikes and I won’t ever do that.”

“I have been thinking a lot about stopping and I’ve kept saying yes and no, but I’m sure I’ve made the right decision. Sometimes you have to take the most difficult decision to stop. Sure to reach that decision is not easy, especially for me because I have a plan to ride the 1000 bike again next year. But during this season it has been really tough and always I’m looking at the future and to have a competitive bike is always more difficult.

“There are a lot of young riders coming really strong and I looked at myself and decided that this was the best time to stop. I started to ride when I was only four and now I am 38, and I do 22 seasons in Grand Prix, so all my life I have been in bikes. Now I’ve got the rest of my life in front of me to think about what I do.  I am happy with myself because this is the right time to retire. I am 100 per cent sure this is the correct decision. When you stop but you don’t want to then this is pretty bad, but I had a couple of offers to ride the CRT bike but it is not my dream to ride that kind of bike. I had an opportunity to ride a good bike in World Superbikes also. I didn’t decide to stop because I didn’t have the opportunity.”

Talking about his best memories Capirossi said: “There are lots of nice and beautiful memories. My first title in 1990 with 125s, my first victory with the 500 in Mugello and my first victory with Ducati were great moment.”

Capirossi also joked while sitting alongside Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Ben Spies that he wanted some help from them to achieve his 100th career podium in the final six races.”

He added: “I want to ask these guys to help me a lot to get my 100th podium.”

Capirossi won 29 races including nine in MotoGP and he won two 125GP world titles in 1990 and ’91 and one 250GP title in ’98. A popular figure in the paddock for his no holds barred riding style, Capirossi was also a controversial figure and his ’98 250GP title with Aprilia was tainted by the circumstances in which he won. He knocked team-mate Tetusya Harada off in the final stages of the title decider in Argentina to secure the crown. He was also banned for one race for dangerous riding in 1999 when he was adjudged to have deliberately knocked wild card Marcellino Lucchi off on the start line.

For more from Capirossi, see the September 7 issue of Motor Cycle News.