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Andrea Dovizioso and Hans-Georg Anscheidt will each be named MotoGP Legends in 2023. Italian rider Dovizioso will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at Mugello and German rider Anscheidt at the Sachsenring.
Dovizioso won the 125cc World Championship in 2004, moved up to become a consistent challenger in the 250 class and then made his MotoGP debut in 2008, taking his first premier class podium as a rookie. The following season Dovizioso took his first premier class win with Honda. His next season saw him debut with Yamaha Tech3, before a move to the Ducati factory team for 2013. In 2014 Dovizioso scored two podiums, in 2015 five and in 2016 another five – including a history-making win in the Malaysian Grand Prix, his first since 2009. That kicked off a renaissance of incredible frontrunning form as Dovizioso was Championship runner up in 2017, 2018 and 2019, taking 12 wins across just three seasons. His final win came in his final season with Ducati at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix. After a brief sabbatical, Dovizioso returned to competition in the latter part of 2021 as an Independent Team rider with Yamaha before retiring after Misano in 2022.
"When they told me, I was really surprised – said Dovi - Reading the list of Legends it’s a nice feeling to know my name is now going to be added. I had a long career but didn’t expect to be named a Legend – and certainly not so soon – but it’s really an honour. I’m looking forward to coming back to the paddock to visit, and to be inducted at the Italian Grand Prix makes it really special. I’m surprised and very happy, happy to become a MotoGP Legend. So thank you very much!"
Hans-Georg Anscheidt was born in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) in 1935 and would become one of the most successful 50cc riders in the first decade of the 50cc World Championship. He started riding Enduro in 1955 before switching to Speedway in 1957, then taking on the new challenge of 50cc circuit racing from 1959.
After European level success, Anscheidt continued racing for Kreidler when the 50cc class officially debuted as a World Championship in 1962, winning the first race of the season at Montjuïc and taking a second Grand Prix win at Monza in the Nations Grand Prix. He finished the year runner up overall, a feat he repeated in 1963 as he took another three Grand Prix victories. He ended 1964 in third place overall, taking another win, before a tougher 1965 ahead of a switch to Suzuki.
That switch saw Anscheidt begin an incredible winning run. He took his first 50cc World Championship in 1966 and it didn’t stop there as the German won an impressive three titles in a row from 1966 to 1968. Remarkably, the first two saw Anscheidt compete as a factory Suzuki rider, but in 1968 he won his final Championship as a privateer. Anscheidt retired as the reigning Champion at the end of 1968.
