Toni Elias
Number: 24
Place of birth: Manresa
Date of birth: 26/Mar/1983
Weight: 57 kg
Height: 163 cm
Growing up in the family bike shop near Barcelona, Toni Elias was destined for a career on two wheels. In 1999 he finished third in the 125cc Spanish Championship and undertook his first Grand Prix season in 2000, although he was largely anonymous during the year.
However, the teenager became the revelation of 2001 after signing up to ride with the junior project run by Alberto Puig, battling for the lower cylinder category title until the end of the season.
Elias’ natural talent and fearless aggression saw him make the successful step up to the 250cc class in 2002, challenging Manuel Poggiali for the title in 2003 until a last-lap crash at Rio cost him victory and the chance of the championship. Elias struggled to reproduce his best form after switching from Aprilia to Honda for 2004, but flashes of brilliance convinced Fortuna Yamaha to draft him into the MotoGP class in 2005. The learning process under the Yamaha banner, forming a team with Rubén Xaus, was curtailed by an injury in France, but in the final third of the season Elias was able to demonstrate his evolution in the category.
The Spaniard rode for two years with Fausto Gresini’s satellite Honda outfit, during which time he continued to show why he is regarded as one of the most exciting riders in MotoGP. His debut victory came at Portugal in 2006, in one of the greatest races of all time against Valentino Rossi and Kenny Roberts Jr., and although injury at his bogey track of Assen severely affected his 2007 season, he still impressed enough for Luis d’Antin to keep him in the category with his Ducati satellite team.
The Ducati venture proved to be a brief sojourn as, one season of mixed results and a pair of podiums after joining the Alice team, Elias was welcomed back to San Carlo Honda Gresini to spearhead their 2009 project where he finished the season in seventh place, his best overall result in the class.
In 2010 he took on the challenge of Moto2, dominating the new category and taking the first Moto2 title, a result that earned him a MotoGP ride for 2011 with Lucio Cecchinello’s LCR Honda team. A difficult season landed him 15th in the standings and a fresh challenge for 2012 sees the Spaniard return to Moto2, this time with the Aspar Team.
Source: motogp.com
