Ex-MotoGP rider - who found his niche in endurance racing - announces retirement

Niccolo Canepa will retire from racing this month.

He will call time on his career 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 under his belt.

Niccolo Canepa's unique success

His 20-year career spans MotoGP, WorldSBK, Moto2, WorldSSP, and MotoE.

But it has been his most recent years in endurance racing where Canepa has found his niche.

He has become the most successful Italian rider in the EWC.

After stints in the Italian championship and the European Superstock 600 Championship, Canepa got his big break with MotoGP in 2009.

Representing Pramac Racing, he was a full-time MotoGP rider in the 2009 season and finished 16th overall.

Canepa moved to Moto2, then the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup, in the following two years.

In 2012 Canepa spent a full season racing in the World Superbike Championship on a Ducati, finishing 20th. He returned in 2014 and 2015, latterly on a Kawasaki, finishing 13th and 16th respectively.

Canepa started his association with Yamaha in 2016.

With the GMT94 Yamaha EWC Team, they finished as runners-up in the EWC.

Canepa also became Yamaha’s WSBK test rider, and he replaced the injured Sylvain Guintoli for four races, finishing inside the top 10 on each occasion.

Canepa won his first endurance title in 2017, as well as the Bol d’Or. He won a second title last season.

He is part of an elite group to have won all three major motorcycle endurance races at Spa, Le Mans, and the Bol d’Or.

'I gave everything to racing'

“It has been a fantastic journey! I started racing minibikes when I was just nine years old, and at 19, I was already riding a MotoGP bike,” he said.

“I have been lucky to have enjoyed an incredible career; of course, there have been some difficult moments, but as a child, I would never have imagined that I would have had so much success and got so much enjoyment from this sport.

“I gave everything to racing, but I got back much more than I expected, and I have won two EWC titles and one in Superstock. Hopefully, we can make it three in EWC after the Bol d’Or. I have had the opportunity to race in many championships, such as MotoGP, WorldSBK, EWC, WorldSSP, Moto2, and MotoE. I am happy with what I have achieved.

“As a rider, you know when it is time to stop, and it feels like the perfect moment to retire after the Bol d’Or. I am already thinking about new challenges and starting a new chapter in my life. Of course, I will miss racing, my teammates, and my R1, but I think the time is right.

“I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career, especially my family and girlfriend and those I have crossed paths with who helped me or taught me something.

“It has been a pleasure to meet so many people along the way, and I am excited for the next adventure, which will see me continue to wear Yamaha blue!”

Mandy Kainz, Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC team manager said: “It has been a real pleasure to work with Niccolò. Not only is he an incredible rider, but also a great guy.

“He has been integral to YART's success since he joined the team, and his attitude, ability, and teamwork are second to none. We are one big family at YART, and Niccolò has been a huge part of that ever since he joined.

“I am extremely proud of what we have achieved together, and he will be sorely missed. I want to thank him for everything he has given to the team.

“It feels fitting he is bowing out after such an incredible season, and I know the Suzuka podium was a long-held dream for him, just as it was for myself and the rest of the team.

“He will already go down in history as one of the most successful EWC riders ever, but he has the chance to write his name in the records book once more at the Bol d’Or by securing a third title for him and back-to-back titles with YART.

“We want to finish on a high and create even more history together so he can end his illustrious career in the best way possible.”

Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing and R&D Manager added: “Niccolò has enjoyed an incredible career and has been a part of the Yamaha family for almost ten years.

“He has raced in and tasted success in every major championship, showcasing his fantastic riding ability, regardless of the machine. When he joined GMT94 in 2016, he immediately gelled with the R1 and made an instant impact, finishing as runners-up in his first EWC season before winning the title in his second. He has also played a huge part in our success in WorldSBK, not only as the official test rider but also as a rider coach and mentor.

“It is hard to explain how significant an impact he has had at Yamaha, with his wealth of experience, engineering background, and amazing attitude towards teamwork, all contributing to his success, and he can be very proud of what he has achieved.

“Over the years, he has lost none of his pace and competitive edge, which was showcased by YART’s sensational 2023 EWC title victory, and he will go down as one of the most successful endurance riders of all time.

“It would be the perfect way to cap off such an illustrious career by securing his third EWC title at the Bol d’Or, but whatever happens, Niccolò can hold his head high and be very proud of what he has achieved.

“While his career as a rider may be ending, it does not mean he will be leaving the Yamaha family, and we are already looking forward to working with him on some exciting new projects in the future.”