After 12 years of racing between GP and Superbikes, Fonsi Nieto in a press conference held in Madrid has officially confirmed that he’s hanging up his lid and retiring due to the foot injury that he picked up during the Indianapolis GP qualifying session.

Nieto who suffered a fractured heel bone (fractured in six places) and ankle bone (also fractured in six places) said, “The foot isn’t 100 %. I’m going to the gym and after five minutes I have to stop. When I can’t do things as good as I can or want to, then I prefer to retire, although it’s a decision that gives me infinite sorrow. I know how racing is and I’ve competed against Kato and Tomizawa, but now I can walk away from competing with my head held high, something others couldn’t do. What I lived through after the accident in Indianapolis was very difficult and this is the main reason for this decision, but I hope to continue in the world of motorcycle racing, it’s my passion and what I really love.”

Also present at the press conference were his uncle Angel Nieto as well as his doctor, Angel Villamor from the Clinica Dexeus, who operated on Nieto for the fourth time after the three previous surgeries that Nieto underwent in Indianapolis reported, “The medical consequences on Fonsi’s foot are virtually irreversible. He’s got no feeling in the sole of the foot.”

G22 Racing Team has yet to announce who will replace Nieto, but it is expected that an announcement will be made immediately before the Valencia Moto2 tests that are scheduled later this week.

Source | solomoto.es

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If you thought that Valentino Rossi and Randy de Puniet were slightly mad to return to racing after just 40 and 20 odd days after breaking their legs, then you’ll find Fonsi Nieto absolutely nuts, because he’ll be returning for the Moto2 Aragon GP.

Nieto suffered a fractured heel bone (fractured in six places) and ankle bone (also fractured in six places) during qualifying at Indianapolis. The Spaniard unerwent a first surgery Sunday evening at the Methodist hospital at Indianapolis, but suffered postoperative complications and had a respiratory arrest. On Monday his foot was at risk and the doctors were considering an amputation and he underwent a second surgery to remove blood clots, a third operation on Thursday before being sent home to Spain and a fourth operation by Dr. Angel Villamor at the Clinica Dexeus in Barcelona.

Nieto was expected to be out for at least three or four months, but has surprised everyone by saying that he’ll be back on his Moto2 bike Friday morning at Aragon just three weeks after his injury.

Speaking to AS.com Nieto said: “I’ve decided to return because I need it and my doctor has approved and told me that it is a mental issue, not physical, so I’m prepared to return.”

We know that riders are able to overcome physical injuries with their determination and the magic potions of the Clinica Mobile, but with a forty rider Moto2 grid would you risk a return this fast?

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This was probably one of the worst racing weekend’s for popular Spanish rider Fonsi Nieto who rides a Moriwaki MD600 for his cousins Pablo and Gelete Nieto’s G22 Holiday Gym Moto2 team.

Nieto was one of the several Moto2 riders that crashed during the Moto2 qualifying session at Indianapolis and in the crash broke both his left heel and ankle bone and was later shipped off to the Indianapolis Methodist Hospital by the circuit’s medical center to be operated on and naturally did not take part in Sunday’s race.

On Sunday night after complaining of intense pain after his operation, Nieto was administered a stronger pain killer and unfortunately had adverse reaction to the drug, lost consciousness and went into respiratory arrest for forty long seconds. The Spaniard was immediately ventilated and regained consciousness completely unaware of what had happened.

Due to complications Nieto had to undergo a second operation on his ankle and will probably skip not only the upcoming race at Misano but also the Aragon GP.

Source | as.com

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We’ve all seen those videos with motorcycles being challenged by other motorcycles, cars, boats, airplanes and anything with an engine, but what happened ahead of Madrid’s 2010 Tennis Open has to be a first.

Which do you think is faster Fonsi Nieto on his G22 Holiday Gym Moto2 bike or Maria Sharapova’s tennis serve?

If you guessed Nieto’s Moriwaki Honda 600cc powered bike was faster, you would have guessed wrong. The Russian tennis player’s serve reached a speed of 173 while Nieto’s top speed was 165 km/h on 100 mt. straight.

Source | masmoto.net

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Like we said yesterday, these next weeks will see many Moto2 teams unveil their Moto2 liveries. After the Aspar and Pons liveries, we’ve got another Spanish Moto2 team, the G22 Holiday Gym run by the Nieto brothers, Pablo and Gelete (sons of Angel Nieto) who turned to Moto2 after their MotoGP team Grupo Francisco Hernando folded half way through the 2009 championship due to economic problems.

This livery on the Moriwali MD600 bike was unveiled yesterday that the Kapital Theatre in Madrid that will see former Supersport rider Yannick Guerra and former Superbike rider Fonsie Nieto (cousin to the Nieto brothers) ready to compete in the inaugural Moto2 season that kicks off at Losail, Qatar April 11th.

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Pablo and Gelete Nieto (sons of the legendary Angel Nieto) who used to manage the now defunct Grupo Francisco Hernandez-Onde 2000 MotoGP team with Sete Gibernau, are getting back into racing with the new Moto2 series and they’ve hired their cousin, Fonsi Nieto.

Nieto who didn’t find a regular team in World Superbikes for the 2009 season has been a free agent this year filling in for injured riders like Max Neukirkner in his former Alstare Suzuki team and Regis Laconi in DFX Corse and rumors had it that Nieto would be riding for Team Laglisse but the deal fell through.

The all Spanish team will be backed by Holiday Gym and the Nieto’s team mate will be the 21 year old Yannick Guerra who debuted this year Supersport.

Source | motograndprix

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Fonsie Nieto, who took part in three rounds of this year’s 2009 World Superbike Championship for Alstare Suzuki subbing for Max Neukirchner and then was called by DFX Corse to ride alongside Lorenzo Lanzi replaced injured Regis Laconi, will sporting this one off Arai helmet at the Magny-Cours round this weekend.

The coloured handprint called “Corle” is the official logo designed by Joaquin Malle, that the city of Madrid has chosen to promote it’s candidacy for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Dani Pedrosa and Repsol riders have already publicly supported Madrid’s candidacy.

Photo Source : masmoto

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Valentino Rossi and Loris Capirossi have tried their hand at rallying, Troy Bayliss tested a V8 Supercar, Marco Melandri raced a Speedcar, and SBK rider Fonsi Nieto doesn’t want to be left out, and he too will also try racing on four wheels. The Spanish racer will be making his sportscar debut in the next round of the Le Mans Series.

Nieto will take part in the 1000 km of Algarve-Portimao race in two weeks time behind the wheel of an LMP2 entered by Iberian team Q8 Oils Hache. Taking to the wheel with Nieto will be compatriots Maximo Cortes and a newcomer to endurance, Carmen Jordà.

Carmen Jordà currently races nell’European F3 Open with a Dallara F306 Toyota powered team of ‘GTA’ and is also Nieto’s girlfriend.

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After subbing for injured Max Neukirchner in Alstare Suzuki for three rounds, Fonsi Nieto will be back in the WSBK championship, this time with the DFX Corse.

Nieto, who didn’t find a team for the 2009 season has been picked up by Daniele Carli, DFX Corse team manager, and the Spanish rider will be at Imola for the official Superbike tests, this Wednesday and Thursday.

Nieto’s best result in six races with Alstare Suzuki team was a 12th place in race 2 at Misano, was replaced at the Donington round, when Kevin Schwantz backed american rider Blake Young with the Belgium manager.

Matteo Baiocco, after his PSG-1 team pulled out of the championship due to economic woes and his excellent second place in the CIV race at Mugello was on the short list of riders available to DFX, but Carli preferred Nieto and in an extremely blunt and honest way said why, also hinting that Lorenzo Lanzi, Regis Laconi’s replacement rider is in danger of losing his place in the team if he doesn’t get a decent result.

“We simply prefered Nieto because he brings us money. Let’s hope that Lorenzo has a good result a Brno, because if he doesn’t, its useless to continue, each round costs us 20,000 euros and we can’t waste them to bring home DNF’s”.

Source | motosprint

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Fonsi Nieto has been confirmed by Alstare Suzuki Brux for the next two rounds of the WSBK Championship at Misano Adriatico and Donington Park. Nieto will be replacing again Max Neukirchner who still is recovering from the pile up incurred during Race 1 at Monza.

The Spanish rider has already two rounds under his leathers with the GSX-R 1000 K9 and took a 16th and 15th place in Kyalami and a 16th and 13th place at Miller, but the team is hoping that Neukirchner will be able to return in time for the Brno round from July 24th to 27th.

With the German out of any chance of fighting for the championship and Yukio Kagayama who is riding with a broken foot and a injured shoulder Alstare Suxuki is already looking ahead to the 2010 season as confirmed by Giacomo Guidotti, the team’s technical director.

Batta’s team will be using the same bike next year and needs the feedback that Neukirchner, who is considered the number one in the team can give them, and they also have to try to keep their rider, because the BMW racing team desperately wants Neukirchner in their team and it seems that they are even willing to pay off the 2010 contract that Neukirchner has with Alstare Suzuki to get him.

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With John Hopkins still convalescent, Stiggy Racing Honda has called back Jake Zemke for the Miller Motorsports Park round of the World Superbike Championship on May 31. Zemke replaced Hopkins during the Monza round and finished 18th in Race 1 and 20th in Race 2. Hopkins won’t be able to ride, but will be present in the Stiggy garage.

Jamie Hacking has been called up to replace injured Makoto Tamada in the Paul Bird Motorsports Kawasaki Racing Team. Tamada ended up with a broken wrist during the pile-up in race 1 at Monza.

After Francis Batta’s PR move to try to get AMA superstar Matt Mladin to rider for Alstare Suzuki, the Belgian team manager had to settle on calling again Fonsi Nieto to take Max Neukirchner’s place for the USA round. Nieto’s name was also being linked to replace injured Sete Gibernau in the Grupo Francisco Hernando team at the Italian GP at Mugello.

Erwan Nigon will be taking David Checa’s place in Team Yamaha GMT 94 at Miller’s. Nigon came in second in last year’s French Superbike series and has also been Michelin’s test rider in MotoGP.

Lorenzo Lanzi will be subbing for the unfortunate Regis Laconi in Team DFX as team boss Daniel Carli announced during Italian show Paddock, Uomini e Corse (Paddock, Men and Racing). Lanzi was supposed to be called in for the Misano race, but Laconi’s injury anticipated his re-entry in the team.

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With Max Neukirchner out of action with a broken femur and three broken bones in the lower leg and foot, Team Suzuki Alstare Brux has called on Spanish rider and former Alstare Suzuki rider Fonsi Nieto to replace Neukirchner in this weekend’s WSBK race in Kyalami, South Africa.

Nieto naturally knows the team and crew, but will start the first day of practice never having ridden the GSX-R K9.

The last Superbike race in South Africa was in 2002 and both races were won by Troy Bayliss.

Fonsi Nieto:

“Firstly, I want to wish Max all the best for a quick recovery. His crash at Monza was not his fault and he is lucky that the injuries are not worse than the are. I am very grateful to Francis Batta for giving me this opportunity to ride for the team again and I will do my best to repay his faith in me. Although I know the team, I do not know the bike because it is a completely new and different bike to last year’s model. So, I will have to learn the bike and learn the track at the same time and that is not so easy, but I will do my best for sure.”

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