Toni Elías

Infobox MotoGP rider
Name = Toni Elias


Caption = Elias during testing at Sepang in 2007
Nationality = flagicon|Spain Spanish
Birthdate = birth date and age|1983|03|26
Birthplace = Manresa, Spain
Website = [http://www.tonielias.com/ tonielias.com]
Bike number = 24
Current team = Alice Team
Championships = 0
Race Starts = 127
Race Wins = 10
Podiums = 32
Poles = 9
Fastest laps = 10
Points = 1140
Last season = 2008
Last position = 13th (29 pts) - In Progress

Toni Elias (born March 26, 1983) is a professional motorcycle racer. He is the third member of the Elías family to compete in motorcycle racing. He was born in Manresa, Spain.

Elías started racing in the 125cc World Championship in 2000 at the age of 17, finishing 3rd in 2001 and taking his first win in the Dutch TT at the prestigious Assen circuit. He went to 250s for 2002, finishing 4th that year, 3rd a year later, and 4th in 2004.

In 2005 he entered MotoGP for Fortuna Yamaha. In 2006 and 2007 his Fortuna backing has got him a ride for Gresini Honda alongside 2005 runner-up Marco Melandri. He only took one podium in 2006. After a podium in the first half of 2007 he crashed at Assen, breaking his leg, sabotaging his season. He managed to make a return to the podium at Motegi.

After spending the 2008 season with the Alice Ducati team, it was confirmed in October of that year that Elias will return to Gresini Honda for 2009, replacing Shinya Nakano and to ride alongside Alex de Angelis. [ [http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Elias+returns+as+Gresini+announce+2009+structure Elias returns as Gresini announce 2009 structure] ]

First MotoGP victory

Elías won his first premier class race on October 15, 2006 with a fantastic final lap of the Portuguese MotoGP at Estoril. Elías had started the lap in third place, but an aggressive braking move into Curva 1, moved him past Valentino Rossi and the then-leader Kenny Roberts, Jr. into the lead. He actually clipped Roberts while braking, and this loss of momentum meant that Rossi passed Roberts for second position. These positions held until the chicane (turns 9 and 10) near the end of the lap. It looked like Elías had left the door wide open for Rossi and sure enough, the reigning world champion dived to the inside to pass the Spaniard. However, Elías would keep pressuring Rossi, trying to pass him on the run towards turns 11 and 12. Rossi had the line and kept the position, and it seemed as if Rossi would be 13 points clear of title rival Nicky Hayden going to the final round in Valencia. But Elías kept the speed up through the thirteenth and final turn, and tucked in behind Rossi, to draft him alongside the Italian. In a finish that needed a video replay, Elías was given the race by just 0.002 seconds. It was one of the closest finishes in the history of MotoGP, and a great way for Elías to secure his maiden premier class victory. This victory helped secure him a contract extension, which was doubtful prior to the win at Estoril, with Honda and Fausto Gresini for the 2007 Moto GP season.

As it turned out, Elías' victory cost Rossi five points, which was the exact number of points that Rossi would finish behind Hayden in the Championship standings.

=Grand Prix career statistics cite news | url=http://www.motogp.com/en/motogp/motogp_riders.htm?menu=riders&rider_id=5517&from=archive | title=Rider Statistics - Toni Elías | publisher=MotoGP.com | accessdate=2007-10-16 ] =

By season

References

External links

* [http://www.tonielias.com/ tonielias.com] - Official site