Farewell to Piero Gagni, the mechanic Lawson called the best: from regularity trials to Stoner’s pit crew

The paddock has lost one of its most genuine characters. Piero Gagni died this morning, Friday, November 13, at 10:04. He had been in a coma since October 25, when he fell off his scooter in Pedrengo and suffered a traumatic brain injury. Two surgeries were not enough to save him. He was 75. Before becoming one of the most respected mechanics in the Motorcycle World Championship, he had been a champion in Regolarità, the Enduro of an earlier era.

Everyone knew him as “Pierino”: short in stature, always on the move, and able to win people over in every garage he worked in. Eddie Lawson, Casey Stoner, and a long line of champions had him by their side at the bike.

Born in 1951 in Rocca del Colle, now Bagnatica, in the province of Bergamo, he was the youngest of seven children in a farming family. By the age of fifteen, he was already working in a workshop, and later he also worked at a car repair shop in Celadina. But motorcycles were calling: in 1974 he became a factory rider and spent around a decade competing in Regolarità with top teams such as Gilera, Zundapp, Fantic, and SWM, in the 50cc and 80cc classes.

The record speaks for itself: two European titles, in 1979 with Fantic and in 1982 with Zundapp, two Italian championships, and six gold medals at the International Six Days. In 1975, he was part of the Italian team that won the Silver Vase on the Isle of Man, alongside Pier Luigi Rottigni, Gualtiero Brissoni, and Attilio Petrogalli. In those days, riders had to know how to repair their own bikes—and for Gagni, it was the perfect training ground.

After hanging up his helmet, Giacomo Agostini brought him into the Motorcycle World Championship, inviting him to join his Yamaha team. There, Gagni teamed up with Fiorenzo Fanali to work with Eddie Lawson. Gagni also followed the Dakar seven times alongside Edi Orioli. Then it was back to the Motorcycle World Championship, working with Spencer, Bayle, Biaggi and Gibernau.

At Ducati, he worked with Melandri, Checa, Bayliss, and above all Casey Stoner, during the Australian’s two world-title-winning seasons, 2007 and 2011. They shared a special bond. After 2012, he remained in the sport as a consultant for Honda. He had stepped away from working on MotoGP bikes a few seasons ago, but often returned to the paddock to see his friends—and had discovered a passion for Harley-Davidsons.

He leaves behind his twin sister Lucia and two other sisters. Italian motorcycling bids farewell to a man who won races on the bike and then helped others win.

Photo: Prima Bergamo