Nicolás Covatti Explained

Nicolás Covatti
Nationality:Argentinian & Italian
Birth Date:19 June 1988
Birth Place:Coronel Pringles, Argentina
Career1:Great Britain
Years2:2012–2014
Career2:Birmingham
Years3:2014
Career3:Sheffield
Years4:2015–2018, 2020
Career4:Ipswich
Years5:2018–2019
Career5:Somerset
Years6:2019
Career6:Poole
Years7:2020
Career7:Kent
Years8:2024
Career8:Plymouth
Career14:Denmark
Years15:2015
Career15:Fjelsted
Years16:2024
Career16:Region Varde
Indivyear1:2008, 2013
2014, 2016
2019
Indivhonour1:Argentine National Champion
Indivyear2:2013, 2015
2016, 2019
2020, 2021
2023
Indivhonour2:Italian National Champion
Teamyear1:2019
Teamhonour1:SGB Championship Fours

Nicolás Covatti (born 19 June 1988) is an Argentine and Italian motorcycle speedway rider. He rides under an Italian licence and qualifies for the Italian national team and is a seven times national champion of Italy[1] and five times national champion of Argentina.[2] [3]

Biography

Born in Coronel Pringles, Argentina, Covatti first came to the attention of the speedway public when he raced in the 2012 Speedway Grand Prix of Italy and was then signed up to ride for the Birmingham Brummies in the Elite League just days later.[4] He continued to ride for Birmingham the following year in the Elite League but suffered a broken wrist while riding as a wildcard in the Italian Grand Prix and lost his place;[5] [6] He was not included in the team for the 2014 season.[7] After the team made a poor start to the season Covatti returned to Birmingham in May, replacing the British rider Edward Kennett. With the Brummies folding during the season, Covatti joined Premier League team Sheffield Tigers in August.[8] [9]

Also in 2014, Covatti represented Italy in the Speedway World Cup. He was given a wildcard entry to the GP Challenge in Lonigo, and narrowly missed out on qualification for the 2015 SGP series, finishing in 5th place.[10]

In 2018, Covatti signed again for the Ipswich Witches at the beginning of the season and then later in the season, he signed for Somerset Rebels after the controversial departure of Charles Wright. He was part of the Somerset team that won the SGB Championship Fours, which was held on 23 June 2019, at the East of England Arena.[11]

In 2023, he won his seventh individual national championship.[12] He joined the Plymouth Gladiators for the 2024 season[13] but suffered a serious setback after breaking his leg and arm in the 2024 Argentinian International Speedway Championship.[14]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Pearson, Nigel (2012) "Nicolas Covatti wants to back at Birmingham next season", Birmingham Mail, 27 October 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2014
  2. Web site: HISTORICAL RESULTS 1930-2022 Argentinian Individual Speedway Championship . Historia Sportu Zuzlowego . 21 January 2023.
  3. Web site: ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 . British Speedway . 28 June 2023.
  4. "Birmingham Brummies confirm Nicolas Covatti signing", BBC, 13 August 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2014
  5. "Birmingham Brummies: Nicolas Covatti agrees new deal", BBC, 13 December 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2014
  6. "Elite League Speedway: Nico Covatti replaces Edward Kennett at Birmingham", Sky Sports, 6 May 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014
  7. Turrell, Rhys (2014) "Speedway: Birmingham axe Argentinian rider Nicolas Covatti", Daily Star, 28 January 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014
  8. "Sheffield speedway: Nico Covatti wants to return", Sheffield Star, 11 November 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014
  9. "Covatti Joins Tigers", speedwaygb.co, 9 August 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014
  10. "Birmingham Speedway: Covatti goes close.", worldspeedway.com, 21 September 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014
  11. Web site: Speedway: Somerset win Championship Fours . Weston Mercury . 8 July 2023.
  12. Giorgio Lazzari. Speedway around the globe. Speedway Star. 1 November 2023 .
  13. Web site: Covatti in to complete Gladiators . British Speedway . 15 December 2023.
  14. Web site: Covatti awaits surgery after crash in Argentina . FIM . 14 February 2024.