Loris Capirossi
Loris Capirossi ( born April 4, 1973 in Castel San Pietro Terme ) is an Italian former motorcycle racer and three-time world motorcycle champion.
Capirossi is 165 cm tall and about 59 kg in weight, he started many years with the number 65 in the MotoGP class of the Motorcycle World Championship. From 2003 to 2007 he rode for Ducati, since the 2008 season, the Italians went to for Suzuki. In 2011 he went back for Ducati at the start.
His nickname " Capirex " was given to him by Kenny Roberts jr. In January 2007, he changed it based on the Tyrannosaurus rex jokingly " CapiTrex " because he that he stood in the Motorcycle World Championship due to his age and the fact before his 18th season, has been called by some as " dinosaurs ".
- 2.1 Title
- 2.2 In the World Motorcycle Championship
- 2.3 Records in the Motorcycle World Championship
- 4.1 External links
- 4.2 Notes and references
Sporting career
Like many other pilots also, Loris Capirossi started at a very young age to ride the motorcycle. His first experience was gained with four years on an off-road motorcycle. In 1986, he drove his first motocross race in 1987, he played in Magione his first road race. In the same year he graduated from the Italian Sport Production Championship on a Honda NS125 and it was sixth.
1988 took Loris Capirossi to Mancini in the Italian 125cc Championship in ninth place overall. The following year, in 1989, he could be a promising talent show with a Honda in the 125cc European Championship. He was charged with four race wins fourth overall and took his leave so for a place in the World Cup.
125 cc class
Loris Capirossi celebrated in 1990 at the Grand Prix of Japan at the age of 16 years, made his debut in the class up to 125 cc of the motorcycle world championship on a Honda in Team Pileri by Paolo Pileri, the 125cc world champion in 1975. His teammate was the world champion the years 1985 and 1987, his compatriot Fausto Gresini. Already in his third race, the Grand Prix of Nations at Misano, he achieved his first podium. Later, at the Grand Prix of Great Britain at Donington Park, even his first victory. After he won the last two World Cup races in Hungary and Australia, he overtook the erstwhile leader in the overall standings Dutchman Hans Spaan. Capirossi was a total of eight podium finishes and 182 points champion in the class up to 125 cc, nine points ahead of Hans Spaan. He suggested that all the established stars of the time such as Martínez, Spaan or Gresini and also became the youngest world motorcycle champion in history, a record he holds to this day.
In the 1991 season he started continue to Pileri Honda. In the second race of the season in Australia he managed the first pole position of his career, this was followed in the course of the season four others. Loris Capirossi could retract ultimately five wins and twelve podiums and defend his world title success this year. With 200 points he had at the end of 19 points more than the runner-up, Fausto Gresini, on the account. This Capirossi was at the age of 18 already double World Champion.
250 cc class
After just two seasons in the small class he rose in 1992 in the 250 cc class. In the 250s, he won 13 Grand Prix and landed 39 times on the podium. As a highlight, he celebrated in 1998 with Aprilia his third and so far last world title. The title was decided in the last race with team-mate Tetsuya Harada by a hard overtaking. Capirossi was initially disqualified, but shortly thereafter rehabilitated. However, it was followed by the dismissal Aprilia end of the season. The following year he drove for the team of Fausto Gresini Honda on again in the 250 cc class and was third in the World Cup. For the season 2000 he was finally on to the premier class.
500 - cm ³ - ind MotoGP class
The 1995 season was the first for Loris Capirossi in the 500 cc class, he drove a Honda and was regularly ranked among the top ten. His best result was a third place finish at the Grand Prix of Catalunya. At the end of the season, he finished sixth in the overall standings.
For the 1996 season he joined the team of Wayne Rainey and drove a Yamaha. Although he could retract his first victory in the premier class at the season finale, the Grand Prix of Australia, it was enough in the championship only to a tenth place. Thereupon Capirossi decided to initially back in the 250 cc class return.
In 2000, Loris Capirossi moved back into the 500 - cc class, this time the team of Sito Pons, where he drove a Honda. At the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, he celebrated his second victory in the premier class. In the overall standings with 154 points Capirossi finished in seventh place.
The 2001 season was the best so far in 500 Capirossi's career. Although he could not win a race, he reached after a total of nine podium finishes with 210 points ranked third in the world championship.
For the 2002 season was from the 500 - cm ³ - the MotoGP class. This was associated with the change of the technical regulations, which now allowed motorcycle prototypes with up to 990- cc four-stroke engines. The 500 - cc two -stroke engines, however, remained more allowed. As the team of Sito Pons, still drove for Capirossi, no official factory team was, there was initially no four-stroke Honda made available. Capirossi and his former team-mate, the Brazilian Alex Barros, the season had thus dispute with the terms of performance inferior two-stroke machines. Despite this inferiority managed Capirossi regularly in the top 10 and could even enter two third places. Towards the end of the season got Barros, unlike Capirossi, then still put a Honda four-stroke engine available and was able to two victories. Capirossi was so disappointed by his failure to take account that he decided to the 2003 season, an offer from Kawasaki to accept. However, when he learned that the would take on the defeated Dunlop tires, he eventually signed a contract with MotoGP rookie Ducati.
In the first year he was able to win a race, three pole positions and enter a fastest lap of the race with the new Ducati Desmosedici at the Grand Prix of Catalunya in Barcelona. Together with team -mate Troy Bayliss he achieved thus for Ducati in second place in the constructors' championship. Capirossi came up with 177 points in fourth place overall.
The 2004 season was less successful for Capirossi and Ducati, a third place at the Australian Grand Prix was the best result of the season. With 117 points, he was only WM- ninth.
Season 2005
For the 2005 season, joining Ducati from Michelin to Bridgestone tires, but they fluctuated so much that Loris Capirossi on the one hand for Ducati at Motegi and Sepang was two victories, on the other hand, however, often not even among the first in their performance from route to route ten came. In free practice session for the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Iceland Capirossi crashed so hard that he internal injuries ( bleeding in the left lung ) drew upon in turn one. For following the Turkish Grand Prix through injury could not compete. At the season finale, he made his comeback, but could not because of problems on conditional seventh addition. The season he finished with 156 points in sixth place in the driver standings.
Season 2006
The 2006 season, he played continue for the Ducati factory team in MotoGP class. His teammate was the vice world champion of 2003 and 2004, Sete Gibernau of Spain. After winning the season-opening race in Jerez, Capirossi led at times even at the World Cup. However, after a serious accident at the Grand Prix of Catalunya, in which teammate Gibernau drove into him and both fell, he could use some racing contest only with great pain and, therefore, fell back in the standings. In the second half of the season Capirossi could then win the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic and Japan. At the last race of the season, the Grand Prix of Valencia, he was behind Troy Bayliss, who had stepped in for the injured Gibernau, take second place and thus celebrate the first Ducati double win in the MotoGP history. With this result he was able to position ahead of him Marco Melandri overtake in the overall standings and was ultimately behind World Champion Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi third in the World Championship. With three wins and eight podium finishes Capirossi collected 229 points, more than ever before in a single season of his career.
Season 2007
The 2007 season played for Loris Capirossi Ducati in the MotoGP class. His teammate was the Australian Casey Stoner. Those caused by the mandatory cubic capacity reduction to 800 cc, change in the power delivery of the Ducati prepared Capirossi especially in the first race big trouble. Halfway through the season the bike was better adapted to Capirossi riding style. He reached as a result a second place finish at the Grand Prix of Germany at Sachsenring, won for the third time in succession the Grand Prix of Japan and completed in Australia second behind Stoner the only Ducati double win of the year. At the end of the season was Capirossi seventh in the overall standings.
Season 2008
On 23 July 2007 it was announced that Capirossi will be replaced in 2008 at the Ducati factory team by Marco Melandri. Nevertheless, the Italians made him the offer to pilot a factory machine in the following season in the private D' Antin team, Kawasaki and Suzuki also also sought his services. Disappointed by the way, such as Ducati treated him, Loris Capirossi decided to accept the offer from Suzuki. In the 2008 season, he raced in the Suzuki factory team on the side of the Australian Chris Vermeulen. In the first third of the season the Italians drove consistently in the top ten, without, however, being able to reach the podium. At the Grand Prix of Catalunya in Barcelona he broke for loss caused by Alex De Angelis accident his right hand and had to miss the next race in the UK. At the Dutch TT in Assen Capirossi returned, but injured himself in the second free practice again and could not take part in the Grand Prix again. At the Grand Prix of Czech Republic in Brno he reached third place the first podium of the season. At the next Grand Prix of San Marino in Misano Loris Capirossi completed his 277th Grand Prix start, surpassing the pre-existing record of the Brazilian Alex Barros.
Season 2009
In the following season started the Italians for the Suzuki team. Despite his now 36 years Capirossi was still highly motivated, but unfortunately let budget cuts by Suzuki no better rankings than four fifth places in Italy, Catalonia, Czech Republic and San Marino. Loris finished the season in ninth place with 110 points. After all, he was thus four points ahead of his teammate Vermeulen.
Season 2010
In 2010 Capirossi continues piloted a Suzuki. Be new team-mate was the young Spaniard Alvaro Bautista. Unfortunately, the season was his worst until then MotoGP Ergebinis with 44 points. In the end only the 16th place remained.
Season 2011
In the 2011 season Capirossi rode the Pramac Ducati team, so on a customer Ducati Desmosedici. On September 1, 2011, he announced his resignation at the end of the season.
Statistics
Title
In the World Motorcycle Championship
Records in the Motorcycle World Championship
- Youngest world champion (17 years and 165 days)
- Youngest double world champion (18 years and 143 days)
- Driver with the greatest distance between its first and last victory (17 years and 70 days)
- Driver with the most disputed Grand Prix races (328 starts)
Private
Loris Capirossi is married to the Slovenian -born former model Ingrid Tence and lives in Monaco. On 2 April 2007, the first son of the two was born.