Legendary rider Fausto Gresini passes away at the age of 60

Michelle Liew

February 24, 2021

Ciao Fausto. Legendary racer Fausto Gresini’s memory will live on both in his achievements on track and his legacy as team founder and manager.

Fausto Gresini

iMotorbike is deeply saddened by the passing of Fausto Gresini at 60 years old. The two-time World Champion in the 125cc class was not only a legendary racer but also a key figure in the paddock as the founder of the Gresini Team.

A native of Imola, Italy, Fausto Gresini made his World Championship debut in 1983 in the 125cc class. He raced his entire career as a lightweight specialist. He took the World Championship title in 1985 and 1987. Gresini then joined Honda in 1990 until his retirement from racing in 1994. During this time, he claimed three wins and twice finished as World Championship runner-up.

In 1997, Fausto Gresini returned to the paddock as a satellite Honda team owner in the premier class with Alex Barros. The Gresini team took a World Championship for the first time in 2001 with Japanese rider Daijiro Kato as the two dominated the 250cc class together. Further Championships came in 2010 in Moto2 with Toni Elias and 2018 in Moto3 with Jorge Martin. In 2019, the team won the inaugural FIM Enel MotoE World Cup with Matteo Ferrari. The teams that bear his name compete across all three classes of the FIM MotoGP World Championship in 202 will race in his honour.

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports:

“I’m deeply saddened by the loss of Fausto. He was a very good friend and I liked him a lot. I have been following the news on his condition closely and I was lucky enough to be able to speak to him even as he was in the hospital. I am so very sorry to suffer a loss like this in the paddock and I want to send my deepest condolences to his family, friends and the members of his team.”