Loris Capirossi 2001 2005 MotoGP World Champion
Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, 125cc and 250cc World Champion, and first rider to start 300 Grands Prix.
Loris Capirossi (born 4 April 1973) is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, currently serving as Safety Advisor to Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder of Grand Prix motorcycle racing. He is a nine-time Premier Class race winner and was the first Grand Prix rider to start at least 300 races, having made his 300th start at the 2010 season-opener Qatar Grand Prix. Capirossi is a 125cc World Champion and a 250cc World Champion, while also holding the honor of Youngest World Champion in motorcycle racing, winning the 1990 125cc title at 17 years and 165 days old.
Quick Facts
- Premier-class world championships
- 2 (2001 – 500cc, Honda; 2,005–990 cc / 2.0–1.0 L, Ducati)
Lore & Background
Capirossi made his World Championship debut at 125cc level in 1990 and won the 125cc title that year. He defended the 125cc title in 1991. He moved up to 250cc in 1992 and won the 250cc World Championship in 1998 after a controversial incident in Argentina. He competed in the 500cc and MotoGP classes, winning races for Ducati including their first win at Barcelona in 2003. He finished third overall in the 2006 MotoGP championship. He retired at the end of the 2011 season.
Reader's Guide
Capirossi's career spanned from 1990 to 2011. He won the 125cc World Championship in 1990 and 1991, and the 250cc World Championship in 1998. He never won a premier-class world championship. His best premier-class championship finish was third in 2006. He rode for Honda, Yamaha, Aprilia, Ducati, and Suzuki. He became the first rider to start 300 Grands Prix at the 2010 Qatar Grand Prix.
Did You Know?
- Capirossi took Ducati's first MotoGP win at Barcelona in 2003.
- His race number #65 is unofficially retired from the MotoGP class, though it is still used by Moto3 rider Philipp Öttl.
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