2011 MotoGP: Capirossi to Pramac Ducati

The 2010 MotoGP Championship was not the best for Pramac Racing Ducati, or Loris Capirossi on the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R.

But in 2011, both Pramac and Capirossi are hoping this changes, considering they will be united. Pramac announced Thursday that the Italian will join the Ducati satellite team for next year.

This will be Capirossi's first return to riding a Ducati since 2007 when he finished seventh in the championship competing on the Ducati Corse GP7. The following year Capirossi joined Suzuki, and remained there until the news of him joining Pramac in 2011; in his Suzuki years, he finished 10th in 2008, ninth in 2009 and is currently 17th in this year's championship.

Next year, Capirossi will be back on the 800cc Ducati with Pramac, which will be the team's 10th year in MotoGP.

Pramac says Capirossi is considered one of the icon of the MotoGP World Championship in which he has regularly taken part from more than twenty years: he has the record of Grand Prix, until today he have raced 313 Grand Prixs.

In his long career, the Italian rider has won 29 Grand Prix and had conquer 99 podiums and three World Championship, two in the 125 cc class, in which he holds the record of youngest rider to conquer a World Championship, and one in the 250 cc category.

Capirossi will start on the Pramace Ducati at the Valencia Test in November. 

As for Capirossi's teammate Alvaro Bautista, nothing official has been released, but he will likely be on the one-man Rizla Suzuki team for 2011.

As for Capirossi's teammate for 2011, the current rider, Aleix Espargaro, is expected to the one. But Pramac hasn't made an official statement. But rumors are circulating that Randy de Puniet, the current LCR Honda rider, may be taking the seat.

Next year, current Moto2 champion Toni Elias is taking de Puniet's spot on LCR; Elias was at one point rumored to be joining Pramac also, but now that he's on LCR, there's a strong possibility that de Puniet may join Pramac.

Loris Capirossi says: "This return on a Ducati bike make me feel like a child. I do not feel my 37 years! I have a great desire to start this new adventure, I'm enormously pleased about this new agreement that was reached with the Pramac Racing Team, this will allow me to ride and be part of an Italian Team."

"I would like to thank the Team Principal of the Pramac Racing Team, Paolo Campinoti, for giving me this great opportunity and for the confidence placed in me. I'll find again the Ducati, with whom I had very good results over the past years and that I was able to develop in the 2007, this is an unique sensation for me."

"I thank Suzuki for the years we spent together and thanks also to the excellent relationship maintained with them, they had give me the possibility to race with my new Team since Valencia's test of next month."

Paolo Campinoti (Pramac Racing Team Principal) says: "We are very pleased to have closed an agreement with one of the most experienced riders and one of the most titled of the current MotoGP World Championship. The deal between us was very simple because Pramac Racing Team, and him, always aim to try to fight for important results."

"We do not need to talk about Loris, we all know him, we know his value and we are sure that thanks to his quality, we'll have fun next year on all the tracks, taking also some satisfaction. With Loris we will celebrate our tenth anniversary in the World Championship and this is a real honor for us. We know that Loris had conquer in his career 99 podiums and we hope to achieve together the triple digits. I would like to thank our partners who have welcomed our choice and we hope that Loris's and Pramac Racing Team fans will follow us with passion during next season."

Loris Capirossi GP Racing History:

2010 - MotoGP - not finished yet
2009 - MotoGP - 9th
2008 - MotoGP - 10th
2007 - MotoGP - 7th
2006 - MotoGP - 3rd
2005 - MotoGP - 6th
2004 - MotoGP - 9th
2003 - MotoGP - 4th
2002 - MotoGP - 8th
2001 - 500cc - 3rd
2000 - 500cc - 7th
1999 - 250cc - 3rd
1998 - 250cc - 1st
1997 - 250cc - 6th
1996 - 500cc - 10th
1995 - 500cc - 6th
1994 - 250cc - 3rd
1993 - 250cc - 2nd
1992 - 250cc - 12th
1991 - 125cc - 1st
1990 - 125cc - 1st

Capirossi Stats:

29 victories
99 podium 
41 pole positions
2 times World 125 cc Champion
1 times World 250 cc Champion 
313 Grand Prix