Draft:Jose Cecotto

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Jose Cecotto
File:Recreation of Jose Cecotto's helmet.png This is a reproduction of the helmet of motorcycle rider Jose Cecotto.
Nationality	Venezuelan
Born	(1949-10-12) 12 October 1949 Los Teques, Venezuela
Motorcycle racing career statistics Grand Prix motorcycle racing Active years 1977 – 1979 First race 1977 350cc Venezuelan Grand Prix Last race 1979 250cc Czechoslovakian Grand Prix Team Yamaha

Giuseppe "Peppino" Cecotto Persello (born 12 october 1949) or Jose Cecotto, is a Venezuelan former professional Grand Prix motorcycle racer. He is the older brother of Johnny Cecotto, who also raced in motorcycling.

Motorcycle racing history

Career

Jose Cecotto participated in the 1977, 1978 and 1979 seasons of the Grand Prix Motorcycle World Championship, in the 250cc and 350cc classes (except for 1979, when he only raced in the 250cc class).

1975

Cecotto participated with his brother (and with a pelvic injury) in the Hutchinson 100 Golden Jubile, on Sunday, August 3, 1975 at Brands Hatch, on a Yamaha 250 (number 126). As mentioned in the Montréal-matin of August 6, 1975, José Cecotto achieved the fastest lap in 1 min 45 s 2 at an average speed of 90.68 mph (144,9 km/h), before falling and breaking his arm.

1976

He take part of the 750cc race of the 200 Miles of Venezuela on a Yamaha (number 69) and set a time of 1.52.81s at an average speed of 130.520 km/h which placed him 33rd on the grid. He does not finish the race, placed 40th. In the first race of the 1976 Latin American Road Race Championship, Colombian race at the Autódromo Ricardo Mejía (april, 4) the Venezuelan rider qualified third with a time of 1.45.85 seconds and he finished second behind his countryman Fernando Cammaert in 350cc. Cecotto also participate at the second race of the II Latin American Road Race Championship at Mexico the May, 9 1976 in the 350cc class. He lead for 19 laps before got trouble with his right hand due to an accident arrived six months before.

1977

For 1977, he raced for the Venezuelan importer Venemotos (like his brother) on Yamahas.

At the first 350cc Grand Prix of the season, the 1977 Venezuelan motorcycle Grand Prix, he set a time of 1 minute 40 at the average speed of 140,860 km/h which place him behind Johnny Cecotto (with a time of 1 mintute 39) and Victor Pamolo (1,40), while he didn't start in 250cc class. He stayed in fifth position behind Johnny Cecotto, Victor Palomo, Patrick Fernandez and Franco Uncini before his gear pedal breaks, collide with Uncini and eliminating Walter Villa. (due to a broken carburetor collar in the Moto Journal n°308). The 11 april, he take part of the 350cc non-championship European race, the Adriatic Pearl Grand Prix (part of the Italian National Championship) at Misano (named then Circuito Internazionale Santamonica) and finished third on a Yamaha behind Mario Lega and his brother Johnny Cecotto. For the second GP of the season the 350cc Austrian Grand Prix, in training, he achieved a time of 1'30"00 in free practice which placed him 27th on the grid. But the race was interrupted following the death of Hans Stadelmann on the eighth lap. His next race was the Nations Grand Prix. He started from the 23rd place on the grid. Unfortunately, he retired again. During the following event, the 350cc Spanish GP, he qualified 45th on the 250cc class with a time of 1.47.9. The grid was limited to 32 starters so he was unable to take the start of the race. The same scenario occurred during the 350cc race, where the starting grid only allowed 28 riders, while Cecotto had qualified in 36th position. The next race in 250cc take place, the 29 may 1977, at the Paul Ricard for the French Grand Prix. Cecotto finished 56th in qualifying for a race that only allowed 36 participants. Same results in 350cc (38 pilots allowed) and Cecotto have to give up again with a 51th position on the grid. It was during the Yugoslavian GP, after a disappointing season overall, that Jose Cecotto will realize his best (and only finish) in the World Motorbike Championship. After startes from the 27th position and battling during a long moment in the top 10 before a breakdown forced him to retire early, the Venezuelan finished in 16th. However, he didn't start in 350 class (qualified 23rd) because he thought the circuit was too dangerous. After seeing his first checkered flag of the season, Cecotto take part of the 1977 Finnish GP, he met the same problems that during the previous race: a 36th place on grid in 350 while the race only take 30 racers. The august 7, the last Cecotto's GP of the 1977 season, the Grand Prix of Czechoslovakia seen him started from the 32nd rank on his brother's Venemotos-Yamaha TZ250 but again, the unluck struck and the Venezuelan driver failed. He finished third on a Yamaha behind János Drapál and Bohumil Staša at the 1977 Cena Slovenska Motocyklov (which take place at Piešťany Airport) in the 250cc race.Jose Cecotto also participated in the 46th Prix des Frontières at Chimay (Belgian Motorcycle Championship) in the 250cc class (the Yamaha Prize) with the number 6 and in the 350cc class with the number 4.. In september, at the Italian Championship's race at Mugello, he drove for the first time the Lombardini GP350. He started from the 7th position but he was unable to start the bike. Then, a mecanician, in contradiction of the reglement, helped Jose to move forward, joined later by Johnny. A fight started between Johnny Cecotto and the officials while Jose Cecotto was given the black flag, after make 1 lap.

1978

For the year 1978, he raced for the italian brand Lombardini in the World Championship and after the Venezuelian GP, he raced for the Swiss importer Hostettler on Yamahas.

At the ouverture GP of the 1978 season, Jose Cecotto qualified 12th with a time of 1 minute 40.9 seconds(4th in other sources) with a Lombardini 350 and he battling around seventh and eighth position before the clutch quickdraw broke. For his second race of the 1978 season after missing the Spanish GP, Jose Cecotto qualified 23rd on the Salzburgring in the 350cc race with a time of 1.28.84; 2 seconds 64 from the poleman Kork Ballington. He have to retire during the race for an unknow reason. For the French 350 GP, he is notified "not qualified" with a 37th place on the grid probably because he was one of the many riders who falls in the practice session and so he was unable to set a time. For the next event, the Italian 350 GP, the venezuelan driver was again unqualified (noted 55th). Same result for the Dutch TT. Cecotto was on the list for the 250cc Great Britain GP with the number 41 on a Yamaha and does not finish the race. For the West-German GP event, Cecotto qualified 37th in the 250cc class and 35th in the 350cc race but didn't take part of the races. After that, he he was present for the 1978 Czechoslovak motorcycle Grand Prix with the Yamaha 250 number 44 and in the 350cc race with a Yamaha too (wrongly noted number 39, which is Guy Bertin's one). Apparently, he didn't finished both 250cc and 350cc races (probably even not qualified).He came back at Misano for the 1978 edition of the non-championship European race and he finished fifth on a Yamaha. Furthermore, he participate at the 350cc Raalte Race at the Luttenbergring the 11 june 1978 still on a Yamaha.

1979

For his only race and his last in the World Championship, the 1979 Czechoslovak GP, Cecotto qualified 30th but he didn't finish the race and was just in the race entrants list in 350 race.

Minor races and national champion

Cecotto raced at the 1988 Classic race Silicanensis where he finished second on his Ducati 900SS.

Jose "Peppino" Cecotto also became the two times champion of the national (Venezuelan) Superbike Championship in 1991 and 1992 with Ducati.

Racing record

System of points

Pos.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11>
Points	15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1	0

Do Not Finish	Do Not Start/ Do Not Qualify	Disqualified	Invalid Race
DNF/NC	DNS/DNQ	DSQ	IR

Latin American Road Race Championship

Year	Class	Team	Machine	1	2	3	4	5	Points	Rank
1976	350cc	Yamaha	TZ350	COL 2	MEX DNF	BRE -	CHIL -	VEN -	12	?

Italian Speed Championship

Year	Class	Team	Machine	1	2	3	4	Points	Position
1977	250cc	Yamaha	TZ250	IMO 10	MIS -	IMO -	MUG -	1	?
	350cc	Yamaha	TZ350	IMO -	MIS 3	IMO -		10	?
		Lombardini	GP350				MUG DSQ
1978	350cc	Yamaha	TZ350	MIS -	MIS 5	IMO -	MIS -	6	12th

Formula 750

Year	Team	Machine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Points	Rank
19761	Yamaha	TZ750	DAY -	VEN2 40	IMO -	JAR -	NIV -	NOG -	SIL -	ASS -	HOC -	0	NC

Notes:

1.^ - The 1976 750 FIM season was not included in the World Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

2.^ – The Venezuela 200 Miles was given non-championship status following a timekeeping error.

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points 15 12 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1 Grand Prix motorcycle racing Source: (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Class Team Machine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Points Rank 1977 250cc Venemotos-Yamaha TZ250 VEN DNS AUT IR GER - NAT - ESP DNQ FRA DNQ YUG 16 NED - BEL DNS SWE - FIN - CZE DNF GBR - 0 NC 350cc Venemotos-Yamaha TZ350D VEN DNF AUT IR GER - NAT DNF ESP DNQ FRA DNQ YUG DNS NED - BEL - SWE - FIN DNQ CZE DNF GBR - 0 NC 1978 250cc Hostettler AG-Yamaha TZ250 VEN DNF ESP - AUT IR FRA DNS NAT DNS NED - BEL - SWE - FIN - GBR DNS GER DNS CZE DNQ YUG - 0 NC 350cc Lombardini GP350 VEN DNF 0 NC Hostettler AG-Yamaha TZ350E ESP - AUT DNF FRA DNQ NAT DNQ NED DNQ BEL - SWE - FIN - GBR - GER DNF CZE DNQ YUG - 1979 250cc Yamaha TZ250 VEN - AUT - GER - NAT - ESP - YUG - NED - BEL - SWE - FIN - GBR - CZE DNF FRA - 0 NC Books References