TDuring yesterday's Infront Moto Racing Board Meeting, Giuseppe Luongo announced his retirement as chairman of Infront Moto Racing. David Luongo has been appointed as his successor and will become the new chairman of Infront Moto Racing.
With the appointment of son David, Infront Moto Racing wants to guarantee continuity and stability within MXGP.
For decades, Giuseppe Luongo was the driving force behind modern motocross. Many major innovations in regulations, management, organization, infrastructure, and media coverage came about under his leadership.
Luongo started out as a motocross rider, and later became team manager of the Suzuki factory team (1989–1992), where he recruited, among others, the young Stefan Everts. During his 42-year career as a promoter of the Motocross World Championship He organized more than 800 events, including World Championships, European Championships, and Nations Cups. He was the founder and promoter of the European Championship as we know it today, the creator of the FIM SuperMoto World Championship, the founder and promoter of the FIM Women's World Championship, the Masters of Motocross, and he promoted the Supercross World Championship. He also organized several FIM World Champions Awards galas.
From a young age, Luongo lived for the sport. His dream was always to raise the profile of motocross and bring it into as many homes as possible worldwide. He recognized early on the sport's potential and the importance of television, as well as the need for better infrastructure to ensure fans, riders, teams, media, industry, and partners felt welcome and safe. Through his dedication and hard work, he succeeded in this mission.
At 65, Luongo has 50 years of his life dedicated to motocross: 8 years as a driver and 42 years as a promoter. During that time, he worked with all the greats in the sport, including Eric Geboers, Roger De Coster, André Malherbe, Georges Jobé, Ricky Johnson, Johnny O'Mara, David Bailey, Pekka Vehkonen, John van den Berk, Ron Lechien, Jeff Ward, Joël Smets, Pit Beirer, Jeremy McGrath, McGrath, Stefan, Rick Everett Ryan Villopoto, Ryan Dungey, Tony Cairoli, Jeffrey Herlings, Tim Gajser, Romain Febvre, Jorge Prado and many others.
Among his most important innovations are: the introduction of live TV, the pyramid structure that takes riders from the European Championship to the top of MXGP, modern paddock infrastructure, increased safety on circuits, the double pit lane with Skybox, and of course MXGP-TV.com, which in 2011 was the first sports platform worldwide to offer live streaming for a World Cup.
Giuseppe Luongo: It's an emotional day for me, because it's something I've wanted for several years, but at the same time, it feels like I'm leaving a piece of myself behind and saying goodbye to my family. My passion and love for motocross will remain, and I'll continue to follow all the championships on MXGP-TV.com. I'll always be there to offer advice whenever needed. My retirement gives me the chance to spend more time with my family and dedicate myself to other passions. The future of Infront Moto Racing is in excellent hands. My son David and Daniele Rizzi, along with the rest of the team, have already proven their capabilities. Thanks to their vision and youthful energy, they will continue to bring new ideas and innovations, while maintaining respect for the rules and the spirit of our sport.
"Promoting the various motocross championships taught me more than just sport management. It taught me mediation, patience, human relationships, managing wins and losses, and, above all, the balance between amateur and professional sports."
42 years as a promoter is a very long career. I've had the opportunity to travel, discover languages and cultures, and meet an incredible number of people. I'm grateful to so many people, too many to mention. My sincere thanks go to Wolfgang Srb and Francesco Zerbi, who were the first to believe in my vision. Tony Skillington was a key partner during our years together in motocross. I want to thank all the riders, industries, teams, manufacturers, and media, because their support—and their criticism—helped me see the bigger picture and make the right decisions. I also want to thank the fans and volunteers, because without them, none of this would make sense. Furthermore, my thanks to the FIM, and especially to President Jorge Viegas. And my thanks to the Infront Group, especially President Philippe Blatter, for their confidence in our management. Special thanks to Daniele Rizzi and, of course, to my son David, who inherited my love for this sport and continues my dream. Finally, my deepest gratitude to my wife Ursula, who has been by my side every moment for 24 years. And thankfully, it stays that way. And the biggest thanks goes to motocross itself: since I was fifteen, I've given it my all, and I've gotten it all back. I'll always be one of its biggest fans."
Philippe Blatter, President & CEO van Infront:
Giuseppe is a true pioneer and visionary. He shaped MXGP from its very beginning and made it a global success. Thanks to his vision, courage, and heart, he transformed the championship into a global phenomenon with a strong community. We are immensely grateful for his decades of dedication and the impressive legacy he leaves behind. His name will be forever linked to MXGP. With David Luongo as the new chairman of Infront Moto Racing, we look forward to a new chapter and have every confidence in his leadership.
Jorge Viegas, FIM President:
On behalf of the FIM, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Giuseppe Luongo for his extraordinary contribution to motocross. His passion, integrity, and dedication have shaped our sport and inspired generations. I wish him all the best in his new chapter. After 50 years in motocross, Giuseppe Luongo has decided to retire, confident that what he has built will continue to grow under the current management. MXGP has a promising future.
On behalf of Infront Moto Racing and the entire motocross world, we thank Giuseppe Luongo for his total dedication to the sport and wish him all the best for the future.”
