Gregorio Lavilla
Encyclopedia
Gregorio Lavilla born September 29, 1974 in Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant
, Tarragona
, Spain
is a professional motorcycle
road racer
. He has raced in MotoGP (fulltime in 250s, and part-time in 500s and MotoGP itself), the Superbike World Championship
, and the British Superbike Championship, taking the British crown in 2005. For he raced in WSB for the Ventaxia Honda team, finishing the championship in 12th place.
He raced in four rounds of the 2009 WSB series with the Guandalini Racing Ducati team.
World Championship the next year. He was runner-up in Germany's Superbike championship in 1997, on board a Ducati. In 1998
he first raced in the Superbike World Championship
full-time, on a private Ducati
, taking two outright podiums. He also made a one-off appearance at the German Grand Prix in the 500 cc class riding for the Honda Movistar Team of former rider Sito Pons. He then spent 3 years with Kawasaki
's factory team, finishing 8th overall despite experiencing many crashes in 1999 (including five in a row) and finishing 10th overall in 2000 despite missing four rounds through injury, before a stronger 2001, in which he was the second-highest non-wildcard in Race 1 at Sugo
.
For 2002 and 2003 he raced a factory Suzuki, doing what he could on a 750cc 4-cylinder bike which lagged behind the 1000cc Ducatis (and Colin Edwards
' Honda in 2002), finishing 5th overall in the relatively weak 2003
championship with 19 top-six finishes including seven podiums, although still not taking a race win. Suzuki did not enter a WSBK team in 2004
, and Gregorio remained with them as a factory test rider, substituting for Yukio Kagayama
in the BSB
series once, and doing 4 MotoGP races for the team. He was released at the end of the season, leaving the way clear for his fairytale 2005.
in the Airwaves
Ducati
team. He started so strongly that the team chose to retain him. He soon established himself ahead of team-mate Leon Haslam
, and the main rival to the Honda
bikes, before a run of 6 wins and 5 second places in the final 11 races saw him take the crown.
He started 2006
in even stronger form, with 6 wins in the first 8 races. His championship lead reached 66 points, but dropped after he crashed out of race 12 at Snetterton
. Croft
was not a successful meeting for him - a technical problem in race 1 and a fall in race 2 saw his championship lead down to 11 points over Haslam and 20 over Ryuichi Kiyonari
's Honda. Further struggles meant that he lost the championship lead, and the final meeting was a disaster - he failed to score in either race, and slipped to 3rd in the championship behind Kiyonari and Haslam. His totals of 8 wins and 10 further podiums were still impressive for a third-place overall finish.
He started 2007 spectacularly, winning the first four races, and also winning race 7. However his form then faded and he finished 4th overall.
riding a Honda CBR1000RR
for Ventaxia VK Honda
as part of the Paul Bird team. The team failed to run near the front, but Lavilla scored points in all but two races, peaking with fourth place in a chaotic first race at Donington Park
but more often finishing between 11th and 15th. For he joined the Pro Ride Honda (formerly Alto Evolution) team, before sponsorship losses forced them to part company with Lavilla and only run a partial schedule[].
In May 2009 Lavilla returned to WSBK with the Guandalini Racing team, initially in a one-race deal to replace the injured Brendan Roberts. It was subsequently reported that Lavilla would race with Guandalini for the rest of the season, but after four rounds (Kyalami, Miller, Misano and Donington), he was replaced at the team by Italian Matteo Baiocco.
and Lance Armstrong
. He is unmarried and lives in L'Hospitalet de l'Infant.
Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant
Vandellòs i l'Hospitalet de l'Infant is a municipality in the comarca of the Baix Camp in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the south-west of the comarca, between the Serra de Llaberia range and the coast....
, Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
is a professional motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
. He has raced in MotoGP (fulltime in 250s, and part-time in 500s and MotoGP itself), the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
, and the British Superbike Championship, taking the British crown in 2005. For he raced in WSB for the Ventaxia Honda team, finishing the championship in 12th place.
He raced in four rounds of the 2009 WSB series with the Guandalini Racing Ducati team.
Early years
Lavilla was the Spanish Superbike champion in 1994, and raced in the 250cc Grand PrixGrand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
World Championship the next year. He was runner-up in Germany's Superbike championship in 1997, on board a Ducati. In 1998
1998 Superbike World Championship season
The 1998 Superbike World Championship season was the 11th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 22 at Phillip Island, and finished on October 4 at Sugo after 12 rounds....
he first raced in the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
full-time, on a private Ducati
Ducati Motor Holding
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is a motorcycle manufacturer in Bologna, Italy. It produces motorcycles for both road use and motorcycle racing.- History :...
, taking two outright podiums. He also made a one-off appearance at the German Grand Prix in the 500 cc class riding for the Honda Movistar Team of former rider Sito Pons. He then spent 3 years with Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
's factory team, finishing 8th overall despite experiencing many crashes in 1999 (including five in a row) and finishing 10th overall in 2000 despite missing four rounds through injury, before a stronger 2001, in which he was the second-highest non-wildcard in Race 1 at Sugo
Sportsland SUGO
is a motorsports facility located in the town of Murata, Shibata District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It opened in 1975 and is one of the largest motorsports facilities in Japan, with a total area of 2.1 million m²...
.
For 2002 and 2003 he raced a factory Suzuki, doing what he could on a 750cc 4-cylinder bike which lagged behind the 1000cc Ducatis (and Colin Edwards
Colin Edwards
Colin Edwards II nicknamed the Texas Tornado is an American professional motorcycle racer. He is a two time World Superbike champion and has competed in MotoGP since 2003, now riding for the Yamaha Tech 3 team in the 2011 season.-Early years:At the age of three, his Australian father, Colin...
' Honda in 2002), finishing 5th overall in the relatively weak 2003
2003 Superbike World Championship season
The 2003 Superbike World Championship season was the 16th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 2 at Valencia, and finished on October 19 at Magny-Cours after 12 rounds....
championship with 19 top-six finishes including seven podiums, although still not taking a race win. Suzuki did not enter a WSBK team in 2004
2004 Superbike World Championship season
The 2004 Superbike World Championship season was the 17th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on February 29 at Valencia, and finished on October 3 at Magny-Cours after 11 rounds. The traditional Japanese round at Sugo was replaced with a new Canadian round which was...
, and Gregorio remained with them as a factory test rider, substituting for Yukio Kagayama
Yukio Kagayama
Yukio Kagayama is a professional motorcycle road racer. He began motorcycle racing in 1990, spending many years in the All Japan Road Race Championship, finishing fourth in 2001. He contested four 250 cc World Championship races in 1997 and 1998, finishing top-8 in all four...
in the BSB
British Superbike
The British Superbike Championship is the leading road racing superbike championship in the United Kingdom.The championship is managed and organised by MotorSport Vision. The Series and Race Director is Stuart Higgs. Event marshals are provided by the Racesafe Marshals Association.Two annual...
series once, and doing 4 MotoGP races for the team. He was released at the end of the season, leaving the way clear for his fairytale 2005.
British Superbike Championship
His victory in the 2005 British Superbike Championship was a major surprise, especially because he had never raced in the championship full-time before, and only got his ride a few days before the season started http://www.grandprixlegends.com/MotoLegendsSite/pages/product/product.asp?ctgry=M_DiecastModels_I_Ducati(MotoLegends)&prod=PO52236S(GPL_BaseCatalog)&ctlg=MotoLegends&cookie%5Ftest=1, initially to replace the injured James HaydonJames Haydon
James Richard Barnaby Haydon , was a world class motorcycle racer. He raced in 250cc and 500cc Grand Prix, MotoGP and the World Superbike Championship. He retired in 2008....
in the Airwaves
Airwaves (gum)
Airwaves is a brand of chewing gum produced by the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company and sold primarily in Europe and East Asia. The brand is marketed for its intense flavor similar to the effect one would get from the consumption of cough drops .This intensity of flavor is obtained by including Eucalyptus...
Ducati
Ducati Motor Holding
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is a motorcycle manufacturer in Bologna, Italy. It produces motorcycles for both road use and motorcycle racing.- History :...
team. He started so strongly that the team chose to retain him. He soon established himself ahead of team-mate Leon Haslam
Leon Haslam
Leon Lloyd Haslam is a motorcycle racer from England. He began racing at an early age and by the time he was in his late teens, he had raced in most of the significant British and international championships. Between 2005 and 2008 he was a regular front-runner in the British Superbike Championship...
, and the main rival to the Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
bikes, before a run of 6 wins and 5 second places in the final 11 races saw him take the crown.
He started 2006
2006 British Superbike season
The 2006 British Superbike season was held from March 24 to September 30.-Races:-British Superbike Championship:-British Supersport Championship:-National Superstock Championship:-External links:*...
in even stronger form, with 6 wins in the first 8 races. His championship lead reached 66 points, but dropped after he crashed out of race 12 at Snetterton
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Norfolk, England. Owned by MotorSport Vision, it is situated on the A11 road some 20 km north-east of the town of Thetford and 30 km south-west of the city of Norwich...
. Croft
Croft Circuit
Croft Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near Dalton-on-Tees in North Yorkshire, England. The tarmac circuit is just over long and is based on the lands of an airfield, but has long since moved on from being a basic airfield circuit...
was not a successful meeting for him - a technical problem in race 1 and a fall in race 2 saw his championship lead down to 11 points over Haslam and 20 over Ryuichi Kiyonari
Ryuichi Kiyonari
is a professional motorcycle road racer. He is the 2006, 2007 and 2010 British Superbike champion, and he currently rides for HM Plant Honda in the British Superbike Championship. He also won the 2008 Suzuka 8-Hour race, teamed with his former WSBK team-mate Carlos Checa...
's Honda. Further struggles meant that he lost the championship lead, and the final meeting was a disaster - he failed to score in either race, and slipped to 3rd in the championship behind Kiyonari and Haslam. His totals of 8 wins and 10 further podiums were still impressive for a third-place overall finish.
He started 2007 spectacularly, winning the first four races, and also winning race 7. However his form then faded and he finished 4th overall.
World Championship part 2
For he moved to the Superbike World ChampionshipSuperbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
riding a Honda CBR1000RR
Honda CBR1000RR
The CBR1000RR, also known as the Fireblade, is a liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder sport bike that was introduced by Honda in 2004 to replace the CBR954RR.-Racing roots:...
for Ventaxia VK Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
as part of the Paul Bird team. The team failed to run near the front, but Lavilla scored points in all but two races, peaking with fourth place in a chaotic first race at Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
but more often finishing between 11th and 15th. For he joined the Pro Ride Honda (formerly Alto Evolution) team, before sponsorship losses forced them to part company with Lavilla and only run a partial schedule[].
In May 2009 Lavilla returned to WSBK with the Guandalini Racing team, initially in a one-race deal to replace the injured Brendan Roberts. It was subsequently reported that Lavilla would race with Guandalini for the rest of the season, but after four rounds (Kyalami, Miller, Misano and Donington), he was replaced at the team by Italian Matteo Baiocco.
Personal
His sporting heroes are Mick Doohan, Wayne RaineyWayne Rainey
Wayne Wesley Rainey, born in Downey, California, United States, is a former American Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he won the 500cc World Championship three times and the Daytona 200 once. He was characterized by his smooth, calculating riding...
and Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
. He is unmarried and lives in L'Hospitalet de l'Infant.
External links
- gregoriolavilla.com Official site