Antonio Cairoli, a legend in Motocross, has announced his retirement

Nine-time Antonio Cairoli, the current FIM World Motocross Champion, has stated that he would retire at the end of the 2021 MXGP season. Six of those nine titles were won while riding for the Red Bull KTM team. Cairoli has 93 career GP victories and 177 podiums, but with nine rounds remaining on the MXGP season, these numbers could alter. Five of those will take place in his home country of Italy, too, so you know he will be fired up to add a few more wins to his logbook. And he has a good chance of doing so because he is still in competition for the championship.

Cairoli will also compete for Team Italy in the 2018 Motocross of Nations, which will take place in Mantova, Italy (September 26).

Cairoli will stay with KTM after his racing career is ended, according to a KTM release.

Today in Rome, Antonio ‘Tony’ Cairoli announced his plans during a special press conference with KTM management. The Italian will bring an end to a brilliant world championship career in which he has become the second most decorated rider in the sport’s history and the greatest racer from his country to have ever thrown a leg over a motocross machine, according to statistics.

In 2010, Tony was the first KTM rider to win the premier class (his fourth and second in MXGP). He went on to win four more championships, all on the KTM 350 SX-F, before winning the KTM 450 SX-F in 2017. Cairoli has been a fixture of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, image, and development program from the first season in 2010. He has worked closely with Claudio de Carli and his dedicated technical crew. During each of his 18 terms, he has won a Grand Prix.

Tony is now in contender for a coveted 10th FIM World Championship championship. Cairoli has one win and five podium finishes from the nine rounds of the 2021 MXGP before to this weekend’s FIM MXGP of Sardegna (ITA). He is now in third place in the standings, barely 29 points behind the leader.

Cairoli’s contract extension with the KTM family means the Italian will continue to give his experience in numerous areas and prospective future efforts within the KTM group, all with the goal of continuing to promote the sport of Motocross for all audiences.

Tony Cairoli: “This is not an easy decision. I’ve always said that numbers and statistics did not mean that much to me. I think it was an achievement for me and my family to win one world championship so to have had a career like this is very special. I feel that it is the right time to stop. Everything around me makes it seem like the right decision, and we are still trying to win the title this year, so the motivation is high for this challenge. I want to thank all those who have helped me and supported me since I came to the world championship, and all along the way actually. There have been many faces and names and of course all the excitement and love from the fans. I have felt very much part of the KTM family from day one and we will continue our work and relationship together, but now in a different way. There is a lot more to do in life after 2021 but for now our goal is very clear.”

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “Our story started in an impressive way because when Tony came to KTM when we still hadn’t won a title in the premier class and we were also developing the KTM 350 SX-F, so it’s like there were two challenges to conquer! To then win five consecutive championships and establish the 350 concept was a big milestone for us. Over the years the relationship became closer and the friendship grew even more. A lot of our success both in the U.S. and in MXGP arrived because of those first years with Tony and the belief that he had in us and the vision for the future. It’s something we didn’t forget and we won’t forget.”

Robert Jonas, VP of Motorsports Offroad: “We’re immensely proud to have been such a major part of Tony’s career story and to have contributed so much to one of the best motocross racers the sport has ever seen. When we first started working together with a motorcycle that was almost a gamble for the highest level of the world championship at that time, I don’t think we could have imagined the success that would come, and just how deep Tony was able to make his impression on MXGP. He has fans all over the world and some of the biggest are right here in the factory. It will be strange not to see that orange #222 on the track next season but his passion for riding and his experience will still be big assets for us. The story doesn’t quite end here.”

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