Double 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 a couple of seasons in MotoGP, he 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 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 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, my personal sponsors who have stood by me always. Thanks also to all of the thousands of officials, marshals, medics, volunteers, mechanics, crew members and journalists that have helped me over the years".

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