Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team 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 looking to end his career on a high note by securing back-to-back EWC titles.
The 36-year-old has had an illustrious career spanning over two decades, during which time he has raced in MotoGP, WorldSBK, Moto2, WorldSSP, and MotoE and has become the most successful Italian EWC rider in history.
Canepa, who hails from Genoa, began his career in the Italian national championships before making his WorldSSP debut in 2005. After finishing 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 couple of wildcard rides and became a MotoGP test rider before stepping up to the premier class full-time in 2009. After finishing an impressive 16th overall during his debut MotoGP season, he switched to Moto2 in 2010 and made 11 starts before returning to the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup in 2011. A full season in WorldSBK followed in 2012, and he then finished as runner-up in the 2013 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup.
He returned to WorldSBK for the 2014 and 2015 seasons before starting his long association with Yamaha when he joined the GMT94 Yamaha EWC Team in 2016, finishing as runners-up in the Endurance World Championship that year, with Canepa also becoming the official Yamaha Motor Europe WorldSBK test rider.
His test rider role saw him substitute for an injured Sylvain Guintoli for four races during the 2016 WorldSBK season, securing four top-ten finishes. He also filled in for the sidelined Florian Marino in two races that year in the STK1000 European Championship, recording a podium (3rd) at Donington Park.
In just his second year with GMT94 Yamaha Team, he became the first Italian to win an FIM Endurance World Championship as they lifted the 2016/2017 crown, and in the process, he also became the first Italian to claim victory at the Bol d’Or, before following this up by finishing as runners-up the following season.
Canepa continued to make wildcard appearances in WorldSBK for the Pata Yamaha Team in 2018, contesting both races at Donington Park and then Misano, scoring points during both outings. He then joined the YART Yamaha EWC Official Team for the 2018/2019 EWC season, immediately tasting success as they went on to win the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring to finish the season in fourth.
In 2019, he also made his MotoE World Cup debut, finishing ninth overall, a result he would repeat the following year, showcasing his ability to be fast whatever the machinery. 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.
During this time, he also became the Yamama WorldSBK rider coach, taking an even more active role in the paddock alongside his test 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 class on his way to ending the season in seventh while also competing in the Italian CIV Superbike Championship.
Canepa added another EWC title in 2023 after a stunning season that saw YART win the 24H SPA EWC Motos and secure second at the 24 Heures Motos in Le Mans before finishing fourth at the Bol d’Or to be crowned champions once more.
The Italian is bidding to bow out on a high by winning his third FIM Endurance World Championship crown at his final race, with the YART team heading to the Bol d’Or leading the overall standings by six points after finishing second at the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans, winning the 8 Hours of Spa Motos and securing a dream podium (2nd) at the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours.
While winning another championship title would be the perfect ending to an incredible career, whatever happens at the Bol d’Or, Canepa will go down as one of the most successful EWC riders of all time and is a member of an elite club of people to have won all three major 24-hour races (Spa, Le Mans, and the Bol d’Or).
Niccolò Canepa
Yamalube YART Yamaha Official EWC Team
“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. 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 Official Team – Team Manager
“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
“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.”
