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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Raffaele de Rosa through his personal website has officially confirmed that he’ll be in Pablo Nieto’s Moto2 G22 Racing Team for the 2011 season.

The 23-year old Napolitan rider who raced for Herve Poncharal’s Moto2 Tech3 team in 2010, will be fielded alongside Fonsie Nieto, will be riding a Moriwaki bike, that he already tried out in the recent Valencia tests and confirms that the Moriwaki MD600 is much easier and smoother to ride than the Mistral 610.

“This season wasn’t very good, but I never stopped believing in my abilities. I’m looking to the future with optimism, and I’m ready to write an important chapter of my career.” said De Rosa, whose best result was a 6th place at Estoril. “I was struck by how easier it was to ride (Moriwaki) than my previous bike, it’s more balanced while the engine seems to be better developed. I can’t wait to develop it in the upcoming tests.”

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