Mike Trimby to be first non-rider inducted to MotoGP Hall of Fame

Mike Trimby will be inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame this year.

He will become the first non-rider to be officially named a Legend, and the first person inducted wholly due to off-track work.

Trimby will be inducted at Silverstone this year, at the British MotoGP.

As the founder and CEO of the International Road Racing Teams Association (IRTA), Trimby is a crucial figure in the history of motorcycle racing, and of MotoGP.

Although Trimby did ride bikes himself in the 1960s, he became the official representative of the riders in 1982, a major landmark for the work he has now been recognised for.

He set up the IRTA in 1986 to advocate for riders and their teams.

Trimby, his wife Irene, and the IRTA are credited with the massive advancement of safety in motorcycle racing.

In 1992, the IRTA teamed with the FIM and Dorna.

Trimby passed away last year but his legacy lives on.

Irene Trimby said about her husband being inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame: “Mike would have been very honoured about receiving this prestigious award, and everyone who knew him knows he never would have expected it either. 

"It’s wonderful for his work and legacy to be acknowledged in this way, although I’m sure he might also have been a little embarrassed to see us putting on a ceremony and giving him a trophy! It’s also something very special for me, for everyone who worked closely with him, and everyone who continues to miss him very much. Thank you very much.”

Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, said: "Mike’s contribution to motorcycle Grand Prix racing is truly monumental, and we’re proud to name him a MotoGP Legend. 

"Since the concept of MotoGP Legends was born, it has always been about more than numbers. There are no criteria based on simple race wins or number of championships, it’s about contribution to the sport – be it off-track, on-track or a combination of the two. 

"So it’s fitting that Mike becomes the first figure honoured purely for his off-track impact, as his work in this sport was truly second to none. It will be an honour for us, and for me, to induct Mike into the Hall of Fame. He is greatly missed and we race on in his memory.”

MotoGP Legends in the Hall of Fame