Andrew Pitt Announces Retirement
Dual World Supersport Champion Andrew Pitt has confirmed that he is officially retired from racing following a stellar career that spans 15 years, 10 of which were in World Championship competition. The 35-year-old Australian first made an impact on the road racing scene in Australia in 1996 when he finished runner up in the hotly contested 250 Production Championship. Just three years after his first road race Andrew was Australian Supersport Champion and runner up Superbike Champion, riding for Team Kawasaki Australia. This led to a three year contract with the Factory Kawasaki Racing Team in the World Championship. For the 2000 racing season Pitt moved to Europe to take on the best in the world, finishing 10th in his first WSS season. Then, in only his second year abroad Andrew became Supersport Champion of the World in 2001.
After another season in Supersport Pitt was drafted into Kawasaki’s new MotoGP project for the final rounds of the 2002 season grabbing Kawasaki’s first points in the premier class with 12th in the final race of the year, Valencia. He went on to compete full time in MotoGP with them in 2003. Pitt also competed in MotoGP for Moriwaki in 2004.
In 2005 Pitt made a full time comeback to World Superbike riding for Yamaha for two seasons finishing eighth and fifth in the respective championships with a race win and six podiums. A jump back over to MotoGP in 2007 saw the world champ competing on the Ilmor. During 2007 Andrew was also development and test rider for the Yamaha MotoGP team and for Michelin on the M1.
A return to Supersport in 2008 with Ten Kate Honda saw Pitt win nine races and take his second World Supersport Championship along the way. Andrew continued in supersport in 2009 before moving to Superbike in 2010 with the ill-fated Reitwagen BMW team.
Towards the end of the 2010 season Andrew was drafted into the Yamaha Superbike team to contest selected British Superbike rounds where an injury sustained in a crash at Brands Hatch in August caused irreversible nerve damage to his left shoulder. As a result, Pitt is not able to compete at the top level of racing and feels it is time to retire from competition.
Andrew Pitt, “When I first came to Europe in 2000 I could never have imagined I would spend 11 seasons racing in the World Championship. It really has been a fun ride and I have gained lots of great memories, as well as some painful ones, along the way. Winning the World Championships was something that I will have forever and never forget. And riding some of the best machines in the world has been incredible.
“I love motorcycles and riding them as fast as possible, and the best one has to be the 2007 M1 MotoGP machine. I really enjoyed being part of that development and testing team.
“It wasn’t the perfect ending and you can’t always choose how you go out but I am still in one piece and at least I have time to work on my cycling now.
“I will miss the good days on the podium for sure but I will continue to ride in testing and training roles, as well as pursue my motorcycle magazine and television work. I want to stay in the motorcycle industry and I still have the same passion for bikes now as I did when I was 10-years old.
“I’d like to say a very special thank you to first of all my fans, who stuck with me in good years and not so good years. Also, my family, particularly my father Carl, have always been there for me and backed me in my racing, from the days of us driving across Australia in a van to supporting me in MotoGP or WSBK paddocks, they have been fantastic. And my personal sponsors who have stood by me always – Milspec Services, Premier Helmets, RST leathers and SIDI boots. Thanks also to all of the thousands of officials, marshals, medics, volunteers, mechanics, crew members and journalists that have helped me over the years”.
Depending on what is next for Andrew he will eventually return to Australia full time from his home in the Isle of Man, where he will continue to enjoy his other passion cycling and watching cricket and horse racing.
Andrew Pitt Career Highlights
Website: www.andrewpitt.com
Racing number: 88
Date of birth: February 19, 1976.
Birthplace: Kempsey NSW, Australia.
First race: 1994 Oran Park, NSR250 Formula 2
First win: 1994 Oran Park, NSR 250 Formula 2 (Won first ever race)
World Supersport debut: 2000, Australia, Phillip island
First World Supersport win: 2002 Australian, Phillip Island.
Total World Supersport wins: 7
Total World Supersport podiums: 21
World Superbike debut: 2005, Qatar, Losail
First World Superbike win: 2006, Misano
Total World Superbike wins: 1
Total World Superbike podium places: 6
World Championship Titles
World Supersport Champion 2001 – Kawasaki, 2008 – Honda.
Career Highlights
1996: 2nd Australian 250cc production Championship
1997: Victorian Supersport Champion
1998: 2nd Australian Supersport Championship
1999: Australian Supersport Champion, 2nd Superbike – Kawasaki
2000: 10th World Supersport Championship – Kawasaki
2001: World Supersport Champion – Kawasaki
2002: 5th World Supersport Championship
2003: 26th MotoGP World Championship – Kawasaki
2004: 27th MotoGP World Championship – Moriwaki,
12th World Supersport Championship – Yamaha (2 races)
2005: 8th World Superbike Championship – Yamaha
2006: 5th World Superbike Championship – Yamaha
2007: 17th World Supersport Championship – Honda (2 races)
2008: World Supersport Champion – Honda
2009: Sixth World Supersport Championship – Honda
2010; WSBK, BSB,
