Michel Fabrizio

Last updated
Michel Fabrizio
Michel Fabrizio, Silverstone 2012.jpg
Fabrizio at the Silverstone round of the 2012 Superbike World Championship
NationalityItalian
Born (1984-09-17) 17 September 1984 (age 40)
Frascati, Italy
Current teamG.A.P. Motozoo Racing by Puccetti
Bike number84
Motorcycle racing career statistics
MotoGP World Championship
Active years 2004, 2006–2007, 2009, 2014
Manufacturers Harris WCM, Aprilia, Honda, Ducati, ART
Championships 0
2014 championship positionNC (0 pts)
StartsWinsPodiums Poles F. laps Points
14000014
125cc World Championship
Active years 2002
Manufacturers Gilera
Championships 0
2002 championship position31st (4 pts)
StartsWinsPodiums Poles F. laps Points
1600004
Superbike World Championship
Active years 2006–2015
Manufacturers Honda, Ducati, Suzuki, BMW, Aprilia, Kawasaki
Championships 0
2015 championship position25th (13 pts)
StartsWinsPodiums Poles F. laps Points
2184351111549.5
Supersport World Championship
Active years 2004–2005, 2021
Manufacturers Honda, Kawasaki
Championships 0
2021 championship position37th (6 pts)
StartsWinsPodiums Poles F. laps Points
290513153

Michel Fabrizio (born 17 September 1984) is a former professional motorcycle road racer. From 2006 to 2015, he raced in the Superbike World Championship. In 2021 he competed in the Supersport World Championship aboard a Kawasaki ZX-6R, before retiring on September 26 from motorsport as a sign of protest after Dean Berta Viñales fatal crash in Jerez.

Contents

Career

Personal life and early career

Born in Frascati, near Rome, Fabrizio first raced in Minimoto at the age of 6, winning several titles before reaching his teens. He won the Aprilia Challenge in 2001, and raced in the 125 cc World Championship for Gilera in 2002, with little success.

He won the 2003 European Superstock championship aboard a Suzuki GSXR 1000.

MotoGP and World Supersport

In 2004 he made his first appearance in MotoGP, with the Harris WCM team. [1] Despite his lack of experience and riding with inferior equipment compared to his racing rivals, Fabrizio managed to impress the paddock with several point scoring finishes and by consistently outpacing his teammate, Chris Burns. His most notable result came in the wet at Jerez, where he scored 10th place despite a small crash during the race. Further points scoring finishes occurred in Italy and Germany.

During the Dutch grand prix at Assen, Fabrizio fractured his ankle in a spectacular crash, forcing him to miss the next round in Brazil. He was replaced by 2003 Harris WCM rider David De Gea. [2] For the Portuguese round in Estoril, Fabrizio was presented with an opportunity to ride for Italian manufacturer Aprilia on the RS Cube. Regular rider Shane Byrne was suffering from a broken wrist, leading Aprilia to fly both Fabrizio and Anthony West out to Mugello to test the bike alongside Jeremy McWilliams. After impressing the team during the test, Fabrizio was selected to replace Byrne at Estoril. In turn, Fabrizio was replaced by British rider James Ellison for the race. [3]

Realizing his dream of riding for a factory team ended up becoming an unravelling for Fabrizio, as he suffered a violent headshake from the much-maligned RS Cube during the first lap of the race. Despite continuing for 11 laps, the pain became too much and forced Fabrizio to retire from the race. Luckily, no serious injury was suffered, but this proved to not be the end of Fabrizio's problems during the year. [4] [5]

With expectations to return to the Harris WCM team for the next round at Motegi in Japan, [5] he suddenly found himself without a ride, being replaced by 125cc rider Youichi Ui. [6] With no options left, Fabrizio retired from the MotoGP season, finishing a disappointing 22nd.

To end his 2004 season, he took a ride with Team Italia Megabike in the Supersport World Championship, competing in the final two rounds of the series. In his first appearance, at his home track of Imola, Fabrizio took an impressive 7th place. At the series finale in France, he gained further notoriety after qualifying 2nd in only his second World Supersport appearance. He failed to finish the race, but had done enough to prove himself. [7]

In 2005 he raced his first full season in the Supersport World Championship, on a factory Honda. He was 5th overall, with 9 top 5 results in the 12 races, although without a win. [8]

Superbike World Championship

For 2006 Fabrizio was teamed with the veteran Pierfrancesco Chili on privateer Honda machinery. He started his career with fifth and eighth at Qatar. [9] He stood in for Toni Elías on MotoGP Fortuna Honda at Donington Park, but crashed in practice and broke his collarbone. [10] He replaced the injured Elías again for the same team in the 2007 German Grand Prix at Sachsenring on July 15, 2007.

At Brno in the 2006 Superbike World Championship, he started tenth, but chose hard-compound tyres, which remained on the pace as other riders faded. In the first race he passed a fading Andrew Pitt as well as Fonsi Nieto, Troy Corser and Noriyuki Haga in the closing laps to score his first Superbike World Championship podium finish. In race two he fared even better - after passing James Toseland for fourth towards the end, he caught the battle for second between Haga and Corser. As Corser attempted a move, Fabrizio dived down the inside of both, slithering and nearly hitting Haga, before edging ahead of them both to the line, immediately improving on his career-best result with a second. His best results of 2007 were two third places, at Assen and Brno. In both seasons he was eleventh overall. [11]

In 2008 he raced alongside Troy Bayliss for Ducati Xerox Team on the new Ducati 1098. [12] He came third in race one at Philip Island, Australia, despite a huge crash at the original start. [13] At Miller Motorsports Park, he qualified on the front row and took a pair of third places, despite dropping to eleventh on lap one of the first race. [14] He had a double-DNF at Assen, shortly before an arm operation, and finished a career-best 8th overall.

For 2009, he stays on at Ducati Xerox, partnering Noriyuki Haga after Bayliss' retirement. His first WSBK win (in his 94th start) came at Monza after Ben Spies ran out of fuel. Seven successive podiums followed, cementing his third place in the standings behind Haga and Spies. This run ended at Brno when he took Spies down as they battled for the lead. He finished the season third overall.

Fabrizio and Haga both continue with the team for 2010. The bike dominated pre-season testing at Phillip Island. [15]

After Ducati announced that they would be ending support for their World Superbike operations at the end of the 2010 season, [16] Fabrizio agreed a contract with Team Suzuki Alstare to race in the 2011 Superbike World Championship season. [17]

MotoGP World Championship

In August 2009, after Casey Stoner announced his intention to withdraw from the next three Grand Prix, it was announced that his place in the Ducati Marlboro team would be taken by Mika Kallio whilst the Finn's place at Pramac Racing would be taken by Fabrizio. [18] His race was marred by physical difficulties, which caused him to retire from the first race in Brno. Fabrizio then being unavailable for the next race in Indianapolis the ride was given to Aleix Espargaró for the remaining two races. [19]

Career statistics

Career highlights

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesPolesWinsPointsPosition
2002 125cc Team Italia Gilera1600431st
2003European Stock 1000Team Alstare Corona9341521st
2004 MotoGP WCM1000822nd
MS Aprilia Racing
World Supersport Italia Megabike200927th
2005 World Supersport Team Megabike12101385th
2006 World Superbike D.F.X. Treme240012511th
2007 World Superbike D.F.X. Corse250013211th
MotoGP Honda Gresini 100621st
2008 World Superbike Ducati Xerox 28002238th
2009 World Superbike Ducati Xerox 28133823rd
MotoGP Pramac Racing 100020th
2010 World Superbike Ducati Xerox 26011958th
2011 World Superbike Alstare Suzuki260015212th
2012 World Superbike BMW Motorrad Italia2600137.511th
2013 World Superbike Red Devils Roma27001887th
Pata Honda World Superbike
2014 World Superbike Iron Brain Grillini Kawasaki600232nd
MotoGP Octo IodaRacing Team 2000NC
2015 World Superbike Althea Racing 2001325th

CIV 125cc Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearBike12345PosPts
2001 Aprilia MIS1
MON
VAL
Ret		 MIS2
10		 MIS3
9		16th13

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearClassBike123456789101112131415161718PosPts
2002 125cc Gilera JPN
Ret		 RSA
15		 SPA
18		 FRA
17		 ITA
16		 CAT
Ret		 NED
Ret		 GBR
Ret		 GER
23		 CZE
25		 POR
Ret		 BRA
23		 PAC
13		 MAL
26		 AUS
Ret		 VAL
20		31st4
2004 MotoGP Harris WCM RSA
18		 SPA
10		 FRA
16		 ITA
15		 CAT
16		 NED
Ret		 BRA GER
15		 GBR
20		 CZE
17		22nd8
Aprilia POR
Ret		 JPN QAT MAL AUS VAL
2006 MotoGP Honda SPA QAT TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED GBR
WD		 GER USA CZE MAL AUS JPN POR VAL NC0
2007 MotoGP Honda QAT ESP TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT GBR NED GER
10		 USA CZE RSM POR JPN AUS MAL VAL 21st6
2009 MotoGP Ducati QAT JPN SPA FRA ITA CAT NED USA GER GBR CZE
Ret		 INP RSM POR AUS MAL VAL NC0
2014 MotoGP ART QAT AME ARG SPA FRA ITA
Ret		 CAT
20		 NED GER INP CZE GBR RSM ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL NC0

Supersport World Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearBike123456789101112131415161718192021222324PosPts
2004 Honda SPA AUS SMR ITA GER GBR GBR NED ITA
7		 FRA
Ret		27th9
2005 Honda QAT
3		 AUS
Ret		 SPA
4		 ITA
4		 EUR
Ret		 SMR
Ret		 CZE
2		 GBR
2		 NED
3		 GER
5		 ITA
4		 FRA
3		5th138
2021 Kawasaki SPA
14		 SPA
21		 POR
16		 POR
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 NED
13		 NED
15		 CZE
22		 CZE
Ret		 SPA
Ret		 SPA
20		 FRA
Ret		 FRA
DNS		 SPA
21		 SPA
21		 SPA
C		 SPA
DNS		 POR POR ARG ARG INA INA 37th6

Superbike World Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearBike1234567891011121314PosPts
R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2
2006 Honda QAT
5		 QAT
8		 AUS
15		 AUS
11		 SPA
13		 SPA
10		 ITA
Ret		 ITA
14		 EUR
Ret		 EUR
15		 SMR
Ret		 SMR
6		 CZE
3		 CZE
2		 GBR
Ret		 GBR
12		 NED
3		 NED
10		 GER
Ret		 GER
8		 ITA
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 FRA
11		 FRA
13		11th125
2007 Honda QAT
Ret		 QAT
12		 AUS
Ret		 AUS
9		 EUR
13		 EUR
12		 SPA
7		 SPA
11		 NED
12		 NED
6		 ITA
8		 ITA
11		 GBR
Ret		 GBR
C		 SMR
Ret		 SMR
Ret		 CZE
6		 CZE
3		 GBR
5		 GBR
4		 GER
Ret		 GER
13		 ITA
5		 ITA
Ret		 FRA
14		 FRA
9		11th132
2008 Ducati QAT
9		 QAT
5		 AUS
3		 AUS
19		 SPA
Ret		 SPA
13		 NED
Ret		 NED
Ret		 ITA
9		 ITA
5		 USA
3		 USA
3		 GER
7		 GER
6		 SMR
Ret		 SMR
11		 CZE
3		 CZE
2		 GBR
12		 GBR
6		 EUR
Ret		 EUR
5		 ITA
7		 ITA
2		 FRA
Ret		 FRA
14		 POR
Ret		 POR
2		8th223
2009 Ducati AUS
4		 AUS
5		 QAT
Ret		 QAT
Ret		 SPA
2		 SPA
3		 NED
9		 NED
4		 ITA
1		 ITA
2		 RSA
2		 RSA
2		 USA
3		 USA
2		 SMR
3		 SMR
2		 GBR
12		 GBR
3		 CZE
Ret		 CZE
3		 GER
7		 GER
9		 ITA
3		 ITA
1		 FRA
4		 FRA
13		 POR
5		 POR
1		3rd382
2010 Ducati AUS
2		 AUS
3		 POR
11		 POR
11		 SPA
Ret		 SPA
Ret		 NED
13		 NED
12		 ITA
7		 ITA
Ret		 RSA
1		 RSA
8		 USA
Ret		 USA
9		 SMR
4		 SMR
3		 CZE
Ret		 CZE
3		 GBR
4		 GBR
Ret		 GER
Ret		 GER
19		 ITA
7		 ITA
Ret		 FRA
6		 FRA
3		8th195
2011 Suzuki AUS
6		 AUS
8		 EUR
Ret		 EUR
7		 NED
5		 NED
7		 ITA
5		 ITA
3		 USA
Ret		 USA
5		 SMR
Ret		 SMR
6		 SPA
Ret		 SPA
4		 CZE
4		 CZE
4		 GBR
Ret		 GBR
9		 GER
16		 GER
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 FRA
12		 FRA
Ret		 POR
11		 POR
14		12th152
2012 BMW AUS
6		 AUS
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 NED
6		 NED
10		 ITA
C		 ITA
DNS		 EUR
10		 EUR
13		 USA
9		 USA
12		 SMR
14		 SMR
6		 SPA
6		 SPA
11		 CZE
8		 CZE
10		 GBR
2		 GBR
13		 RUS
5		 RUS
Ret		 GER
Ret		 GER
Ret		 POR
10		 POR
8		 FRA
12		 FRA
Ret		11th137.5
2013 Aprilia AUS
3		 AUS
4		 SPA
8		 SPA
11		 NED
12		 NED
9		 ITA
6		 ITA
5		 GBR
10		 GBR
10		 POR
7		 POR
10		 ITA
5		 ITA
8		 RUS
5		 RUS
C		 GBR
14		 GBR
11		 GER
6		 GER
8		7th188
Honda TUR
10		 TUR
10		 USA
13		 USA
10		 FRA
7		 FRA
Ret		 SPA
17		 SPA
14
2014 Kawasaki AUS
WD		 AUS
WD		 SPA
Ret		 SPA
Ret		 NED
Ret		 NED
14		 ITA
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 GBR GBR MAL MAL SMR SMR POR POR USA USA SPA SPA FRA FRA QAT QAT 32nd2
2015 Ducati AUS AUS THA THA SPA SPA NED NED ITA
10		 ITA
9		 GBR GBR POR POR SMR SMR USA USA MAL MAL SPA SPA FRA FRA QAT QAT 25th13

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References

  1. ↑ "Ducati signs Michel Fabrizio for 2008 season". us.motorsport.com. 11 September 2007. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  2. ↑ Sports, Dorna. "De Gea replaces injured Fabrizio at WCM | MotoGP™". www.motogp.com. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  3. ↑ "Fabrizio to race Byrne's Aprilia". Crash. 2004-08-31. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  4. ↑ Sports, Dorna. "Fabrizio gets bitten by the Cube | MotoGP™". www.motogp.com. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  5. 1 2 "'Big shock' sends Fabrizio into retirement". Crash. 2004-09-06. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  6. ↑ "Ui gets WCM ride, Jacque 'happy to be back'". Crash. 2004-09-16. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  7. ↑ "Michel Fabrizio". Crash. 2009-01-23. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
  8. ↑ "world-supersport-600". Website.lineone.net. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
  9. ↑ "BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Motorbikes | Toseland and Corser win in Qatar". News.bbc.co.uk. 25 February 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
  10. ↑ "Honda Racing Communications Centre". www.honda-racing.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2006. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  11. ↑ "MotorcycleUSA.com - Michel Fabrizio". Motorcycle-usa.com. Archived from the original on 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
  12. ↑ "Ducati Corse Signs Michel Fabrizio For 2008". Londonbikers.com. Archived from the original on 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
  13. ↑ "World Superbikes: Troy Bayliss and Michael Fabrizio to miss Valencia test - Motorcycle Sport". Motorcyclenews.com. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
  14. ↑ "WSB: Checa pulls off US double - Visordown Motorcycle news : Racing news". Visordown.com. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
  15. ↑ "Fabrizio fastest, Ducati dominates final test". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 2010-02-22. Retrieved 2010-02-22.
  16. ↑ "Ducati to quit WSB". Insidebikes. Carole Nash. 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
  17. ↑ "Fabrizio confirmed as sole Alstare entry". Insidebikes. Carole Nash. 2010-10-14. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
  18. ↑ "Stoner out for three races as Kallio steps in". GPUpdate.net. 2009-08-10. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  19. ↑ "Espargaró to make MotoGP debut at Indy | MotoGP™".
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