Niccolo Canepa will retire from racing this month.
He’ll name time on his profession after the Bol d’Or on September 12-15, the season finale of the FIM Endurance World Championship.
Canepa is aiming to retire with a second consecutive EWC below his belt.
Niccolo Canepa’s distinctive success
His 20-year profession spans MotoGP, WorldSBK, Moto2, WorldSSP, and MotoE.
Nevertheless it has been his most up-to-date years in endurance racing the place Canepa has discovered his area of interest.
He has change into essentially the most profitable Italian rider within the EWC.
After stints within the Italian championship and the European Superstock 600 Championship, Canepa acquired his large break with MotoGP in 2009.
Representing Pramac Racing, he was a full-time MotoGP rider within the 2009 season and completed sixteenth total.
Canepa moved to Moto2, then the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, within the following two years.
In 2012 Canepa spent a full season racing within the World Superbike Championship on a Ducati, ending twentieth. He returned in 2014 and 2015, latterly on a Kawasaki, ending thirteenth and sixteenth respectively.
Canepa began his affiliation with Yamaha in 2016.
With the GMT94 Yamaha EWC Staff, they completed as runners-up within the EWC.
Canepa additionally turned Yamaha’s WSBK take a look at rider, and he changed the injured Sylvain Guintoli for 4 races, ending inside the highest 10 on every event.
Canepa gained his first endurance title in 2017, in addition to the Bol d’Or. He gained a second title final season.
He’s a part of an elite group to have gained all three main bike endurance races at Spa, Le Mans, and the Bol d’Or.
‘I gave every part to racing’
“It has been a implausible journey! I began racing minibikes once I was simply 9 years previous, and at 19, I used to be already using a MotoGP bike,” he stated.
“I’ve been fortunate to have loved an unimaginable profession; after all, there have been some troublesome moments, however as a toddler, I might by no means have imagined that I might have had a lot success and acquired a lot enjoyment from this sport.
“I gave every part to racing, however I acquired again rather more than I anticipated, and I’ve gained two EWC titles and one in Superstock. Hopefully, we will make it three in EWC after the Bol d’Or. I’ve had the chance to race in lots of championships, akin to MotoGP, WorldSBK, EWC, WorldSSP, Moto2, and MotoE. I’m pleased with what I’ve achieved.
“As a rider, you realize when it’s time to cease, and it appears like the right second to retire after the Bol d’Or. I’m already enthusiastic about new challenges and beginning a brand new chapter in my life. After all, I’ll miss racing, my teammates, and my R1, however I feel the time is true.
“I need to thank everybody who has supported me all through my profession, particularly my household and girlfriend and people I’ve crossed paths with who helped me or taught me one thing.
“It has been a pleasure to satisfy so many individuals alongside the best way, and I’m excited for the following journey, which is able to see me proceed to put on Yamaha blue!”
Mandy Kainz, Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC staff supervisor stated: “It has been an actual pleasure to work with Niccolò. Not solely is he an unimaginable rider, but in addition an important man.
“He has been integral to YART’s success since he joined the staff, and his angle, capability, and teamwork are second to none. We’re one large household at YART, and Niccolò has been an enormous a part of that ever since he joined.
“I’m extraordinarily happy with what now we have achieved collectively, and he shall be sorely missed. I need to thank him for every part he has given to the staff.
“It feels becoming he’s bowing out after such an unimaginable season, and I do know the Suzuka podium was a long-held dream for him, simply because it was for myself and the remainder of the staff.
“He’ll already go down in historical past as probably the most profitable EWC riders ever, however he has the prospect to put in writing his identify within the data e-book as soon as extra on the Bol d’Or by securing a 3rd title for him and back-to-back titles with YART.
“We need to end on a excessive and create much more historical past collectively so he can finish his illustrious profession in the easiest way doable.”
Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe Highway Racing and R&D Supervisor added: “Niccolò has loved an unimaginable profession and has been part of the Yamaha household for nearly ten years.
“He has raced in and tasted success in each main championship, showcasing his implausible using capability, whatever the machine. When he joined GMT94 in 2016, he instantly gelled with the R1 and made an prompt impression, ending as runners-up in his first EWC season earlier than successful the title in his second. He has additionally performed an enormous half in our success in WorldSBK, not solely because the official take a look at rider but in addition as a rider coach and mentor.
“It’s arduous to elucidate how vital an impression he has had at Yamaha, along with his wealth of expertise, engineering background, and wonderful angle in direction of teamwork, all contributing to his success, and he will be very happy with what he has achieved.
“Through the years, he has misplaced none of his tempo and aggressive edge, which was showcased by YART’s sensational 2023 EWC title victory, and he’ll go down as probably the most profitable endurance riders of all time.
“It might be the right method to cap off such an illustrious profession by securing his third EWC title on the Bol d’Or, however no matter occurs, Niccolò can maintain his head excessive and be very happy with what he has achieved.
“Whereas his profession as a rider could also be ending, it doesn’t imply he shall be leaving the Yamaha household, and we’re already wanting ahead to working with him on some thrilling new tasks sooner or later.”
