Andrew Pitt

Supersport rider
Name = Andrew Pitt


Caption = Andrew Pitt, August 2008.
Nationality = flagicon|Australia Australian
Birthdate = birth date and age|df=yes|1976|02|19
Birthplace = Kempsey, New South Wales Australia
Bike number = 88
Current team = Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
Championships = 1
Race Starts = 41
Race Wins = 3
Podiums = 13
Poles = 2
Fastest laps = 2
Points =
Last season = 2008
Last position = 6th (25 pts)

Andrew Pitt born birth date and age|df=yes|1976|02|19 in Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia, is a professional motorcycle racer. He is a double World Supersport Champion, and has also won a World Superbike race and competed in MotoGP. He lives in Peel on the Isle of Man [http://www.iomtoday.co.im/sport/Pitt-crashes-out-in-Italy.4515547.jp] .

Early Days

Pitt began racing in the NSW State 250 Production Series in 1995, winning it in 1997. He was Australian Supersport Champion and Superbike runner-up in 1999, before entering the Supersport World Championship in WorldSS|2000 riding for Kawasaki. He finished 10th in his debut season and won the title in WorldSS|2001, without winning a race. For WorldSS|2002 he continued in Supersport with Kawasaki finishing the season 5th.

MotoGP and Superbikes

At the end of 2002 he was given a ride on Kawasaki's first MotoGP bike for the final 3 races of the season. He took his and Kawasaki's first MotoGP points at the final race of the season. [http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~6~id~51775.htm First points for Pitt and Kawasaki] crash.net, retrieved on March 15, 2007.] His promising results in 2002 made Kawasaki offer him a full time MotoGP ride for the 2003 season. He matched experienced team-mate Garry McCoy, but neither was retained after an uncompetitive year. He made occasional appearances for Moriwaki in 2004 as part of their development programme.

In 2004 Yamaha signed him. After three Supersport World Championship races at the end of the year, he was a Superbike World Championship factory rider for SBK|2005. [http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~5~id~102815.htm Pitt named at Yamaha - makes R1 debut] crash.net, retrieved on March 15, 2007.] He finished the season 8th overall, behind team-mate Noriyuki Haga who was third. Things improved in SBK|2006 as he was 5th overall, and scored his maiden Superbike World Championship win at the Misano Circuit in Italy in June 2006. [http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st99413.htm] At the end of the SBK|2006 season, he lost his seat to fellow Australian and SBK|2005 Superbike World Champion Troy Corser. [http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~5~id~138652.htm. Yamaha confirms Corser, Haga for 2007] crash.net, retrieved on March 15, 2007.]

For 2007, he signed to race in MotoGP for the Ilmor team. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/6191717.stm McWilliams confirms MotoGP return] bbc.co.uk retrieved on March 15, 2007.] He was forced to retire with mechanical problems from the first race of the season in Qatar. [http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/57217 Ilmor puzzled by poor performance] autosport.com, retrieved on March 15, 2007.] On 15 March, 2007, Ilmor announced that they were taking a break from MotoGP as a result of funding issues. [http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/57335 Ilmor pull out of MotoGP temporarily] autosport.com, retrieved on March 15, 2007.] This left Pitt without a ride.

upersport Part 2

Later in 2007 he made two substitute appearances in the Supersport World Championship for Ten Kate replacing the injured Sébastien Charpentier, [http://www.crash.net/news_view.asp?cid=5&id=146106 WSS: Pitt replaces Charpentier at Valencia.] crash.net, retrieved on September 23, 2007.] taking two second places behind dominant team-mate Kenan Sofuoğlu.

In 2008 he races in World Supersport for Ten Kate full-time, replacing Sofuoglu. In his first race he collided with the crashed bike of team-mate Jonathan Rea. [http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2008/february/18-24/feb2308qatarworldsupersportjonathanreamayrequiresurgery/?&R=EPI-98764] He won three of the first six races to establish a championship lead. [http://www.iomtoday.co.im/sport/Andrew-Pitt-scores-third-Supersport.4191116.jp] A collision with Eugene Laverty at Vallelunga threatened to derail his championship challenge [http://www.iomtoday.co.im/sport/Pitt-crashes-out-in-Italy.4515547.jp] , but e clinched the 2008 World Supersport championship in the penultimate round at Magny-Cours after closest rival Rea was taken out by Robbin Harms [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/7653402.stm] . During the Brands Hatch race in 2008, Pitt was involved in an accident that claimed the life of Craig Jones. The British rider fell in front of Pitt at Clark Curve, and Pitt's bike unavoidably [http://www.bikesportnews.com/articles/article.html?id=I_DONT_BLAME_ANDREW_PITT_-_CRAIG_JONES_FATHER_1] struck the head of Jones, who died from his injuries on August 4.

He is expected to remain with the team for 2009, despite originally targeting a return to WSBK [http://kempsey.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/other/focus-on-title-as-pitt-resigns/1324570.aspx]

References

External links

* [http://andrewpitt.com/ andrewpitt.com] Official website