MotoGP press conference at Misano 2011

Today the typical press conference ahead of the San Marino Grand Prix took place, in which the big protagonist was Loris Capirossi, who officially announced his retirement.

The riders who took part in this pre-event press conference were Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner, Ben Spies and Loris Capirossi; although, as the main protagonist himself commented, the veteran rider from Pramac Racing was the real focus.

The first to speak was the MotoGP World Championship leader, Casey Stoner, who arrives at this 13th round with good feelings after his victories in the last races, and with a 44-point lead over the second-placed rider in the overall standings.

Stoner will seek his fourth consecutive victory at the Misano circuit, after Laguna Seca, Brno and Indianapolis.

So far things are going well, but I had a good advantage in the Championship that later shrank, and we had to build it up again.

There are still some races ahead, and we must make sure we are as competitive as possible.

I hope to be able to fight for the victory here and, if not, minimise damage in terms of points. I think it will be another weekend of high temperatures, and we will have to see what the track conditions are like and how the tyres respond.

The second to speak was Dani Pedrosa, who won at this circuit in the 2010 season, and who finished second at Indy, so the 26 will be a threat at this round and will try to win.

I hope we can achieve a better classification here.

Of course, if the temperatures are high it will be harder. We also have to contend with jet lag, but it is the same for everyone, and I hope we are fit enough to perform at our best.

I am still far off in the overall standings, but I hope to have good races before the end of the season. I hope to win some races and podiums and finish the Championship well.

The third to speak was Valentino Rossi, the star of the championship at Misano, undoubtedly his track, his people and his home, although the 46 is not arriving at his best moment with the Ducati.

It is an important moment for me, for Ducati and for the fans.

Many people will come to support us, but unfortunately this year we have not been able to deliver the results we hoped for. We must try, not only for ourselves but for all those who will be here. It is a difficult season and we came off a bad race last week, but we will have great support from the fans.

The fourth to speak was Ben Spies, who arrives at this track after finishing third at his home round, Indianapolis, and knowing that this layout suits him quite well, both in MotoGP and in 2009 when he won the Superbike title, so he will fight against the Honda.

This is a circuit I like and it has a special atmosphere.

Indy was a good race for us. I made a mistake at the start, but I was fast enough and that gives me confidence. I just need to continue like this this weekend and enjoy myself again.

I hope we can have the same feeling with the bike as at Indy and that we can fight at the front all weekend.

And finally the moment arrived: the last to speak was Loris Capirossi, who announced his retirement after 22 years active in the World Motorcycle Championship, undoubtedly a great achievement, and who has 99 podiums so far.

It is difficult for me to say this because after 22 seasons this will be my last race in Italy.

I have decided to stop. I have thought about it a lot and I believe this is the right decision.

If you want more info about Loris Capirossi’s retirement, do not miss this article.