motogp.com

Monday, 7 February 2011

The Spanish rider, who was preparing to compete in his second Moto2 campaign, has taken the decision after being unable to overcome the physical issues caused by his accident at Indianapolis last year.

Fonsi Nieto has announced his decision to retire from professional motorcycling competition with immediate effect, and will therefore not take part in this year’s Moto2 World Championship for which he was set to enter with the G22 Racing team.

After announcing his retirement at a press conference in a Madrid hotel on Monday, Nieto said: “I’ve weighed up this decision during the past few days and have spoken with my family and my cousins, which includes the team I was due to ride with this year. I did not want any problems or misunderstandings, and I think they were glad when I told them.”

Nieto was accompanied at the press conference by many of those who have supported him throughout his career, including his uncle Ángel and Doctor Ángel Villamor, the latter of whom said that the “injuries suffered by Fonsi in his foot were practically irreversible”. He added that Nieto “had no sense of feeling in the sole of his foot” as a result of the injuries sustained in a Moto2 qualifying practice crash at Indianapolis.

“I go to the gym every day but after five minutes I have to stop,” said Nieto. “Faced with the possibility of not being able to do everything I wanted to properly, I preferred to retire, although this is a decision I will have to deal with forever. I know how I raced motorbikes and I also rode with Kato and Tomizawa. Now I know I’m going to walk away from competition, something that others haven’t been able to do,” added Nieto in reference to the Japanese riders who suffered fatal accidents.

Pablo Nieto, who along with his brother Gelete is in charge of the G22 Racing team, explained to motogp.com that Fonsi had been thinking over whether to retire for ten days and finally took his decision after realising he would not be able to compete this year as a fully fit rider.

“It’s a real shame, because he is a rider of undoubted talent,” said Pablo. “But he is not at 100%, physically or mentally, because of the problem with his foot, and this is the best decision.”

Pablo Nieto also explained that the team are currently choosing between a number of possible substitutes, and that a final decision could be announced on either Tuesday or Wednesday.