Lucio Cecchinello
Encyclopedia
Lucio Cecchinello is a former Grand Prix
motorcycle
road racer
and currently a Moto GP team manager for Team LCR
, with the Spanish Toni Elias
as his rider.
125NSR. In his third race at Monza
, he obtained his first victory. Other victories and pole positions gave him self-confidence, and in 1990, he finished second behind Max Biaggi
.
In 1991 Lucio made his debut in the European Championship riding for the Team Italia (where he was a mechanic 3 years before) and he obtained the 10th final position. Riding for the Team Italia again in 1992, Lucio was Vice European Champion. In 1993
he joined the 125 World Championship, riding for the Gazzaniga Team. In 1994
the GIVI team offered him the opportunity to ride a private Honda RS125 and gained his first world championship points. In 1995 the Pileri
team gave him the opportunity race a Honda RS125 in the European Championship, during which he won 8 of the 11 races and won the European 125cc championship.
1996
was a turning point for Cecchinello. He organized his own small team for the 125cc World Championship, earning several good results in the top ten. It was the same in 1997
and in 1998
. After 4 Grands Prix, Cecchinello obtained his first Grand Prix victory in the Madrid Grand Prix at Jarama
.
In 2001
, Cecchinello took another victory at the Catalan Grand Prix
and ended the season in fourth place. 2002
would be his best year when he claimed three victories, and again finished fourth in the final standings. In his final year of competition, he accomplished a dream by winning his home Grand Prix at the 2003
Italian Grand Prix
.
bike. The team soon expanded into two-bike team since 1998. In 2001, the team switched into Aprilia
machinery.
The expansion continued in 2002, with the team running extra bikes in 250cc, giving debuts to future MotoGP champion Casey Stoner
. Lucio retired after 2003 season, but the team continues to battle for the championship with Stoner and French rider Randy de Puniet
as their main rider.
In 2006, the team began competing in the MotoGP class with Honda machinery with the 250cc team also switching from Aprilia to Honda. The team employed Casey Stoner as their sole rider in MotoGP. The team successfully reached their first podium and first pole with Stoner in their debut season. However, Stoner left at the end of the season to join Ducati factory team. Veteran Spanish rider Carlos Checa
was recruited to ride for them in 2007. From 2008-2010, the team's rider was Randy de Puniet, who returned to the team after having been part of their 250cc campaign from 2003-2004. In 2011 the rider for Team LCR is Toni Elias.
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
and currently a Moto GP team manager for Team LCR
Team LCR
Team LCR is a motorcycle racing team currently competing in the MotoGP World Championship under the name LCR Honda MotoGP. The team is founded in 1996 by Italian rider Lucio Cecchinello. They are represented by Spanish rider Toni Elías in the MotoGP class, riding a Honda RC212V bike.-1996–2003:...
, with the Spanish Toni Elias
Toni Elías
Antonio "Toni" Elias Justícia Antonio "Toni" Elias Justícia Antonio "Toni" Elias Justícia (born March 26, 1983 in Manresa, (Catalonia, Spain) is a professional motorcycle racer and inaugural champion of the Moto2 World Championship. He is the third member of the Elías family to compete in...
as his rider.
Racing career
Lucio began to cultivate his passion for racing motorcycles after working as a motorcycle mechanic for teams in national and international racing. He started to race motorcycles in 1989, when he was a rider in the Italian Sport Production Championship, riding an HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
125NSR. In his third race at Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
, he obtained his first victory. Other victories and pole positions gave him self-confidence, and in 1990, he finished second behind Max Biaggi
Max Biaggi
Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi is an Italian motorcycle racer and winner of the 2010 World Superbike Championship. Throughout this racing career, he has won the 250cc World Championship four times, and finished as runner-up in both the 500cc and MotoGP championships...
.
In 1991 Lucio made his debut in the European Championship riding for the Team Italia (where he was a mechanic 3 years before) and he obtained the 10th final position. Riding for the Team Italia again in 1992, Lucio was Vice European Champion. In 1993
1993 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1993 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 45th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Kevin Schwantz won the 1993 world championship in a season marred by the tragic end to his rival Wayne Rainey's career. Schwantz started the season strong with four wins by the...
he joined the 125 World Championship, riding for the Gazzaniga Team. In 1994
1994 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1994 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 46th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:1994 was the year in which Honda's Mick Doohan began to stamp his authority on the Grand Prix world. Honda's Longtime sponsor Rothmans left Honda to join Williams Renault in...
the GIVI team offered him the opportunity to ride a private Honda RS125 and gained his first world championship points. In 1995 the Pileri
Paolo Pileri
Paolo Pileri was an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion.Born at Terni, he won the FIM 125cc world championship in 1975 as a member of the Morbidelli factory racing team. After retiring, he became a race team manager, guiding Loris Capirossi, Alex Barros and others...
team gave him the opportunity race a Honda RS125 in the European Championship, during which he won 8 of the 11 races and won the European 125cc championship.
1996
1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 48th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Honda's Mick Doohan continued his domination of the 500 class with 8 victories. His Repsol Honda team-mate, Àlex Crivillé beat him to the line twice in Austria and the Czech Republic...
was a turning point for Cecchinello. He organized his own small team for the 125cc World Championship, earning several good results in the top ten. It was the same in 1997
1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 49th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:A fourth world championship in a row for Honda's Mick Doohan with another dominating performance. He broke Giacomo Agostini's record for victories in one season with 12 wins. It...
and in 1998
1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 50th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Mick Doohan and Honda continued to dominate the 500 class with the Australian taking 8 victories and Honda winning all but one race. Simon Crafar winning the British Grand Prix for...
. After 4 Grands Prix, Cecchinello obtained his first Grand Prix victory in the Madrid Grand Prix at Jarama
Circuito Permanente Del Jarama
The Circuito del Jarama , formerly known as Circuito Permanente del Jarama is a race course in Madrid, Spain which has hosted nine Formula One Spanish Grand Prix....
.
In 2001
2001 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
This article recaps the 2001 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.-Season summary:2001 was the end of the 500 cc era in Grand Prix motorcycle racing; in 2002 the premier class would be renamed MotoGP and dominated by 4-stroke 990 cc machines. However, 2001 was the beginning of another era, that of...
, Cecchinello took another victory at the Catalan Grand Prix
Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix
The Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event held at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Catalonia, Spain, as part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.-Multiple winners :-Multiple winners :-By year:...
and ended the season in fourth place. 2002
2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 54th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The season consist of 16 races, which started with the Japanese Grand Prix on 7 April and ended with the Valencian Community Grand Prix on 3 November....
would be his best year when he claimed three victories, and again finished fourth in the final standings. In his final year of competition, he accomplished a dream by winning his home Grand Prix at the 2003
2003 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 2003 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 55th F.I.M. Road racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Defending champion Valentino Rossi won his 3rd MotoGP championship in 2003, winning 9 races, highlighted by his win at Phillip Island where he was given a 10 second penalty for...
Italian Grand Prix
Italian motorcycle Grand Prix
The Italian motorcycle Grand Prix is a motorcycling event that is part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. From 1949 to 1990 the event was known as the Nations Grand Prix. It was one of the original rounds of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing calendar. The race was held exclusively at Monza...
.
Career statistics
| Season | Category | Starts | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total | Poles | Bike | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 2003 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 55th F.I.M. Road racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Defending champion Valentino Rossi won his 3rd MotoGP championship in 2003, winning 9 races, highlighted by his win at Phillip Island where he was given a 10 second penalty for... |
125cc | 16 | 2 | 1 | - | 3 | - | Aprilia | 112 | 9 |
| 2002 2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 54th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The season consist of 16 races, which started with the Japanese Grand Prix on 7 April and ended with the Valencian Community Grand Prix on 3 November.... |
125cc | 16 | 3 | 2 | - | 5 | - | Aprilia | 180 | 4 |
| 2001 2001 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season This article recaps the 2001 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.-Season summary:2001 was the end of the 500 cc era in Grand Prix motorcycle racing; in 2002 the premier class would be renamed MotoGP and dominated by 4-stroke 990 cc machines. However, 2001 was the beginning of another era, that of... |
125cc | 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | Aprilia | 156 | 4 |
| 2000 2000 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 2000 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 52nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Kenny Roberts, Jr. fulfilled the promise of his 2nd place in 1999 by winning the championship for 2000 with 2 races to spare... |
125cc | 16 | - | - | - | - | - | Honda | 91 | 11 |
| 1999 1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 51st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:The dominant reign of Honda's Mick Doohan came to an end with serious injuries suffered in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. In his absence, his Honda team-mate Àlex Crivillé... |
125cc | 16 | - | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | Honda | 108 | 9 |
| 1998 1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 50th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Mick Doohan and Honda continued to dominate the 500 class with the Australian taking 8 victories and Honda winning all but one race. Simon Crafar winning the British Grand Prix for... |
125cc | 13 | 1 | - | 2 | 3 | - | Honda | 130 | 5 |
| 1997 1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 49th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:A fourth world championship in a row for Honda's Mick Doohan with another dominating performance. He broke Giacomo Agostini's record for victories in one season with 12 wins. It... |
125cc | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | Honda | 73 | 14 |
| 1996 1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 48th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Honda's Mick Doohan continued his domination of the 500 class with 8 victories. His Repsol Honda team-mate, Àlex Crivillé beat him to the line twice in Austria and the Czech Republic... |
125cc | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | Honda | 59 | 15 |
| 1994 1994 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1994 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 46th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:1994 was the year in which Honda's Mick Doohan began to stamp his authority on the Grand Prix world. Honda's Longtime sponsor Rothmans left Honda to join Williams Renault in... |
125cc | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | Honda | 5 | 30 |
| 1993 1993 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season The 1993 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 45th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Kevin Schwantz won the 1993 world championship in a season marred by the tragic end to his rival Wayne Rainey's career. Schwantz started the season strong with four wins by the... |
125cc | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Team LCR
Lucio began setting up his own team in 1996. The team started as one-bike team for Lucio, racing in 125cc class with HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
bike. The team soon expanded into two-bike team since 1998. In 2001, the team switched into Aprilia
Aprilia
Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle company, one of the seven marques owned by Piaggio, the world's fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer.Aprilia started as a scooter manufacturer, but has more recently come to be known for its race-winning sportbikes...
machinery.
The expansion continued in 2002, with the team running extra bikes in 250cc, giving debuts to future MotoGP champion Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner
Casey Stoner is an Australian professional motorcycle racer. Born in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia and raised in Southport, Queensland, Stoner raced from a young age and moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a racing career...
. Lucio retired after 2003 season, but the team continues to battle for the championship with Stoner and French rider Randy de Puniet
Randy de Puniet
Randy de Puniet is a French Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is currently racing for the Pramac Ducati team in MotoGP, having raced in this class regularly since 2006...
as their main rider.
In 2006, the team began competing in the MotoGP class with Honda machinery with the 250cc team also switching from Aprilia to Honda. The team employed Casey Stoner as their sole rider in MotoGP. The team successfully reached their first podium and first pole with Stoner in their debut season. However, Stoner left at the end of the season to join Ducati factory team. Veteran Spanish rider Carlos Checa
Carlos Checa
Carlos "Charlie" Checa is a professional motorcycle road racer and winner of the 2011 Superbike World Championship. After racing in 500cc and MotoGP for over a decade, mostly on Honda and Yamaha machinery with and without full manufacturer support, he moved to the Superbike World Championship on a...
was recruited to ride for them in 2007. From 2008-2010, the team's rider was Randy de Puniet, who returned to the team after having been part of their 250cc campaign from 2003-2004. In 2011 the rider for Team LCR is Toni Elias.
External links
- lcr.mc Official website of Team LCR