LCR has become the third MotoGP squad to pledge its continued presence in the series for a further five years, joining KTM and Ducati in continuing until at least 2026.
The Lucio Cecchinello run-outfit has competed in the premier class since 2006, a year it gave future double world champion Casey Stoner his MotoGP bow, the Australian ending the year a respectable eighth overall on satellite Honda machinery LCR continues to run to this day.
LCR heads into the upcoming ’21 campaign running a pair of full-factory Honda RC213-V’s for Takaaki Nakagami and new recruit Alex Marquez, the duo propping up the Japanese manufacturer last year following Marc Marquez’s early season exit through injury.
Cecchinello says he is “grateful” to be able to confirm his historic teams further participation in the pinnacle of grand prix motorcycle racing for a further five years, the Italian’s organisation set to reach the three decade mark of operation by the end of the agreement.
“First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to all the people who have worked with the LCR team since January of 1996, when we received our very first World Championship contract participation as a Team!,” said Cecchinello.
“I can’t believe that it’s been 25 years! A quarter of century lived with LCR riders and team personnel working at full speed on track and believe me, even off-track!
“It is a great honour for me to announce that LCR has recently renewed with IRTA and Dorna, its MotoGP class contract participation until 2026.
“I am grateful to be able to continue competing in the premier class category for 5 more years and I can’t wait to start a new chapter in LCR history with both of our riders Taka and Alex on a full factory bike! See you soon on track and surely very soon on TV!”
LCR currently has three victories in the premier class to its name-all coming with recently departed rider Cal Crutchlow-the Brit also scoring eight of the squad’s further ten rostrum results, the other two coming with Randy de Puniet scoring its first at Donington Park in 2009 ahead of Stefan Bradl’s runner-up finish at Laguna Seca in ’13.
The team has competed in grand prix motorcycle racing since its inception in 1996, focussing on 125cc and 250cc programmes in its early years before eventually fully switching its attention to MotoGP after pulling out of the intermediate class at the conclusion of ’07, the team having already shuttered its 125cc arm three years earlier.
Cecchinello himself competed with his team in the 125cc world championship from ’96 until 2003-scoring seven wins across the period-with his organisation collecting a further 17 victories across the smaller classes before its eventual exit.
LCR has also established itself as a solid runner in the fledgling all-electric MotoE championship, Xavier Simeon capturing the outfit’s only podium finish so far last year after finishing second at Misano.
Two of MotoGP’s official manufacturer entries-namely KTM and Ducati-have already committed to premier class competition until at least ’26, the former confirming its intentions two weeks ago before the latter joined the Austrian marque in announcing a five year extension last week.
