| Paolo Pileri | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality | Italian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1944-07-31)31 July 1944 Terni, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 12 February 2007(2007-02-12) (aged 62) Terni, Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Paolo Pileri (31 July 1944 – 12 February 2007) was anItalian professionalmotorcycle racer and racing team manager. He competed in theGrand Prixroad racing world championships from 1973 to 1979.[1] Pileri is notable for winning theFIM 125ccworld championship in1975.
Pileri was born inTerni, Italy where he grew up idolizing Italian motorcycling world championLibero Liberati. He initially competed inmotocross racing before switching to road racing in 1971.[2] Pileri's impressive third place in the1973 250ccBelgian Grand Prix earned him an invitation to join theMorbidelli factory racing team.
He won his first Grand Prix race for Morbidelli at the 1975 125ccSpanish Grand Prix then went on to win the next six races to clinch the125cc world championship.[1] Later on his career, he took one 250cc victory in the1978 250cc Belgian Grand Prix.[3] He retired after the 1979 season at the age of 35.[2] In a seven-year Grand Prix racing career, Pileri won 8 races and took 20 podium finishes from 33 starts.[1]
Pileri became a motorcycle racing team manager after retiring from competition where he successfully guidedLoris Capirossi to successive 125cc world championships in1990 and1991.[2] He is credited with givingValentino Rossi his first opportunity to compete when he joined Pileri's team at the age of 14.[2] Pileri died in Terni on February 12, 2007 at the age of 63.[2]
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