Niccolò Canepa to Retire from Racing After Bol d’Or

Yamalube YART Yamaha Legit EWC Group rider Niccolò Canepa will retire from racing after the 2024 FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) season finale at the Bol d’Or on September 12th-15th, with the Italian having a explore to discontinue his profession on a excessive display camouflage by securing serve-to-serve EWC titles.

The 36-one year-weak has had an famed profession spanning over twenty years, all the design thru which interval he has raced in MotoGP, WorldSBK, Moto2, WorldSSP, and MotoE and has turn into the most worthwhile Italian EWC rider in history.

Canepa, who hails from Genoa, began his profession in the Italian national championships earlier than making his WorldSSP debut in 2005. After ending second in the 2006 European Superstock 600 Championship, he went on to be crowned the 2007 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup Champion.

Following this success, he made his WorldSBK debut the following season with a pair of wildcard rides and turned into a MotoGP take a look at rider earlier than stepping up to the premier class paunchy-time in 2009. After ending a daring 16th overall all the design thru his debut MotoGP season, he switched to Moto2 in 2010 and made 11 begins earlier than returning to the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup in 2011. A paunchy season in WorldSBK adopted in 2012, and he then executed as runner-up in the 2013 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup.

He returned to WorldSBK for the 2014 and 2015 seasons earlier than starting his long association with Yamaha when he joined the GMT94 Yamaha EWC Group in 2016, ending as runners-up in the Endurance World Championship that one year, with Canepa moreover changing into the official Yamaha Motor Europe WorldSBK take a look at rider.

His take a look at rider role saw him change for an injured Sylvain Guintoli for four races all the design thru the 2016 WorldSBK season, securing four top-ten finishes. He moreover filled in for the sidelined Florian Marino in two races that one year in the STK1000 European Championship, recording a podium (third) at Donington Park.

In correct his second one year with GMT94 Yamaha Group, he turned into the first Italian to score an FIM Endurance World Championship as they lifted the 2016/2017 crown, and in the formulation, he moreover turned into the first Italian to claim victory at the Bol d’Or, earlier than following this up by ending as runners-up the following season.

Canepa persevered to fabricate wildcard appearances in WorldSBK for the Pata Yamaha Group in 2018, contesting each races at Donington Park and then Misano, scoring sides all the design thru each outings. He then joined the YART Yamaha EWC Legit Group for the 2018/2019 EWC season, straight tasting success as they went on to score the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring to enact the season in fourth.

In 2019, he moreover made his MotoE World Cup debut, ending ninth overall, a result he would repeat the following one year, showcasing his capability to be rapidly no matter the equipment. In his second season with the YART team, victories at Estoril and Sepang meant they secured second overall in the 2019/2020 FIM Endurance World Championship.

All over this time, he moreover turned into the Yamama WorldSBK rider coach, taking an preferrred more titillating role in the paddock alongside his take a look at rider duties, which paid dividends in 2021 when Yamaha won the WorldSBK championship. He returned to the MotoE World Cup in 2022, securing his first podium in the category on his formulation to ending the season in seventh whereas moreover competing in the Italian CIV Superbike Championship.

Canepa added any other EWC title in 2023 after a fine season that saw YART score the 24H SPA EWC Motos and win second at the 24 Heures Motos in Le Mans earlier than ending fourth at the Bol d’Or to be crowned champions over but again.

The Italian is bidding to bow out on a excessive by a hit his third FIM Endurance World Championship crown at his last toddle, with the YART team heading to the Bol d’Or leading the general standings by six sides after ending second at the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans, a hit the 8 Hours of Spa Motos and securing a dream podium (2nd) at the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours.

Whereas a hit any other championship title might perhaps perhaps perhaps perhaps be the ideal ending to an astonishing profession, no matter occurs at the Bol d’Or, Canepa will dawdle down as almost certainly the most critical worthwhile EWC riders of all time and is a member of an elite club of different folks to hang won all three major 24-hour races (Spa, Le Mans, and the Bol d’Or).

Niccolò Canepa
Yamalube YART Yamaha Legit EWC Group

“It has been a amazing sprint! I started racing minibikes after I used to be correct nine years weak, and at 19, I used to be already utilizing a MotoGP bike. I had been lucky to hang enjoyed an astonishing profession; unnecessary to declare, there had been some complex moments, nonetheless as a baby, I might perhaps perhaps by no formulation hang imagined that I might perhaps perhaps hang had so mighty success and got so mighty enjoyment from this sport. I gave the entirety to racing, nonetheless I got serve mighty more than I anticipated, and I hang won two EWC titles and one in Superstock. Confidently, we can fabricate it three in EWC after the Bol d’Or. I hang had the opportunity to toddle in quite lots of championships, corresponding to MotoGP, WorldSBK, EWC, WorldSSP, Moto2, and MotoE. I am happy with what I hang executed. As a rider, you perceive when it is time to stop, and it feels delight in the ideal second to retire after the Bol d’Or. I am already taking into consideration new challenges and starting a new chapter in my existence. Clearly, I will miss racing, my teammates, and my R1, nonetheless I insist the time is ethical. I desire to thank everyone who has supported me all the design thru my profession, especially my family and girlfriend and other folks I hang crossed paths with who helped me or taught me one thing. It has been a pleasure to meet so many other folks alongside the formulation, and I am angry for the next adventure, that can see me continue to wear Yamaha blue!”

Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Legit Group – Group Manager

“It has been a precise pleasure to work with Niccolò. No longer most attention-grabbing is he an astonishing rider, nonetheless moreover a stout man. He has been integral to YART’s success since he joined the team, and his attitude, capability, and teamwork are second to none. We’re one gargantuan family at YART, and Niccolò has been a gargantuan allotment of that ever since he joined. I am extremely elated with what now we hang got executed together, and he’ll be sorely overlooked. I desire to thank him for the entirety he has given to the team. It feels becoming he is bowing out after such an astonishing season, and I know the Suzuka podium used to be a long-held dream for him, correct because it used to be for myself and the comfort of the team. He’ll already dawdle down in history as almost certainly the most critical worthwhile EWC riders ever, nonetheless he has the chance to write his establish in the records e book over but again at the Bol d’Or by securing a third title for him and serve-to-serve titles with YART. We desire to enact on a excessive and accomplish even more history together so he can discontinue his famed profession in the finest formulation doable.”

Andrea Dosoli
Yamaha Motor Europe Avenue Racing and R&D Manager

“Niccolò has enjoyed an astonishing profession and has been a allotment of the Yamaha family for nearly ten years. He has raced in and tasted success in each major championship, showcasing his improbable utilizing capability, no matter the machine. When he joined GMT94 in 2016, he straight gelled with the R1 and made an instantaneous affect, ending as runners-up in his first EWC season earlier than a hit the title in his second. He has moreover performed a gargantuan allotment in our success in WorldSBK, now not most attention-grabbing as the official take a look at rider nonetheless moreover as a rider coach and mentor. It is exhausting to point out how foremost an affect he has had at Yamaha, alongside with his wealth of experience, engineering background, and astonishing attitude towards teamwork, all contributing to his success, and he’ll be very elated with what he has executed. Over time, he has misplaced none of his race and competitive edge, which used to be showcased by YART’s sensational 2023 EWC title victory, and he’ll dawdle down as almost certainly the most critical worthwhile persistence riders of all time. It can perhaps perhaps perhaps be the ideal formulation to cap off such an famed profession by securing his third EWC title at the Bol d’Or, nonetheless no matter occurs, Niccolò can sustain his head excessive and be very elated with what he has executed. Whereas his profession as a rider will be ending, it does now not mean he’ll be leaving the Yamaha family, and we’re already having a explore ahead to working with him on some involving new projects in the long toddle.”