After more than 22 seasons in motorcycle racing, veteran rider Loris Capirossi has announced that he will retire at the end of the current 2011 MotoGP season.

The 38-year-old Italian made the announcement at Misano, during the build-up to the San Marino Grand Prix, almost breaking down in tears at the time.

Capirossi made his grand prix debut in the 125cc class in 1990 and caused a shock throughout the racing community, by becoming world champion in his rookie season.

After earning two back-to-back championships, he moved up to the 250cc class in 1992.

Soon enough, he became a regular race winner in his second season and secured a move to the premiere class 500cc World Championship 1995,before going back in the 250cc class with Aprilia.

Once again, the Italian was successful while beating a young Valentino Rossi to the 1998 title, before coming back to 500s in 2000.

Then he was part of Ducati's first MotoGP project in 2003 that the wins began to rack up, the Italian taking victories in four of his five seasons with the Italian manufacturer.

His best season in the top class was 2006, when he won at Jerez, Brno and Motegi and finished third in the world championship, but his career has been on the downturn ever since, with three years at Suzuki and a tough year on a Pramac Ducati this season, being both injury-hit and frustrating.

Capirossi has made a record 324 race starts, winning 29 (nine in the premiere class) and three world championships. He has also started from pole 41 times, set 32 fastest laps and took 99 podium finishes.