Fonsi Nieto Confirms Retirement from Motorcycle Racing

Fonsi Nieto will end his motorcycle racing career at the age of 32, as he confirmed it himself earlier this week. According to his statement, he reached that decision after pre-season fitness training revealed that the injuries he sustained during last year's Moto2 race at Indianapolis were too severe to allow him to continue racing in 2010.

Consequently, he gave up racing altogether, despite having been in line to compete on a full-time basis with G22 Racing in 2011.

“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,” said Nieto.

The Spaniard entered the Moto2 championship last year, following a sabbatical in 2009. Prior to that, he had successfully competed in the World Superbike Championship, where he recorded some race wins in 2008. Other highlights of his career include a runner-up spot in the FIM 250cc World Championship, back in 2002.

Following his accident at Indianapolis last year however, the Spaniard had a near-death experience after the painkillers that were prescribed to him had an adverse reaction and got him into respiratory arrest.

“I go to the gym every day but after five minutes I have to stop. 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,” he concluded. The riders to whom he's referring to have both died in fatal accidents.