Antonio Elías Justícia (born 26 March 1983) is a Spanish former professional motorcycle racer and inaugural champion of the Moto2 World Championship. He is the third member of the Elías family to compete in motorcycle racing. He last rode in the MotoAmerica AMA Superbike Championship, where, in June, he abruptly announced his retirement mid-way through the 2023 race-season.[1]

Toni Elías
NationalitySpanish
Born (1983-03-26) 26 March 1983 (age 41)
Manresa, Spain
Motorcycle racing career statistics
MotoGP World Championship
Active years20052009, 20112012, 2015
ManufacturersYamaha, Honda, Ducati, Yamaha Forward
Championships0
2015 championship position27th (2 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
105 1 6 0 3 574
Moto2 World Championship
Active years2010, 20122013
ManufacturersMoriwaki, Suter, Kalex
Championships1 (2010)
2013 championship position18th (22 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
41 7 8 3 2 343
250cc World Championship
Active years20022004
ManufacturersAprilia, Honda
Championships0
2004 championship position4th (199 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
48 7 20 5 6 603
125cc World Championship
Active years19992001
ManufacturersHonda
Championships0
2001 championship position3rd (217 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
35 2 9 4 1 243
Superbike World Championship
Active years20132014
ManufacturersAprilia
Championships0
2014 championship position9th (171 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
32 0 0 0 0 241

Elías finished 3rd in the 2016 season, with six wins out of 18 and 304 points, seven less than then-champion Cameron Beaubier.[2] He won the championship in the 2017 season. In 2018 he finished as runner-up behind champion Cameron Beaubier and in 2019 he finished as runner-up, five points behind championship winner, once again Beaubier.

Career

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Elías testing at Sepang in 2007.

Born in Manresa, Catalonia, Spain [3] 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 250cc 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 got him a ride for Gresini Honda alongside 2005 runner-up Marco Melandri. He only took one podium in 2006, albeit his first, and so far only, win in the top category. 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, Elias returned to Gresini Honda for 2009, replacing Shinya Nakano to ride alongside Alex de Angelis.[4]

For 2010 he moved down to the new Moto2 class, on a Moriwaki bike for Gresini. He was competitive in pre-season testing before a heavy crash threatened to derail his status as title favourite.[5] He was victorious at Le Mans after a chaotic race also led by Alex Debón and Jules Cluzel.[6] He claimed the lead in the championship following this win, and would not relinquish it for the remainder of the season, clinching the inaugural Moto2 World Championship at the Malaysian Grand Prix with three rounds to spare.[7]

He returned to the MotoGP grid in 2011 with Team LCR, riding a Honda RC212V.[8] 2011 heralded his worst season in the MotoGP class, scoring only 61 points and finishing 15th in the Championship. He left Team LCR and returned to Moto2 in 2012 with the Aspar Team, a team he rode for in the 250cc class. After Mugello race team and rider ended their relationship.

On 24 July 2012, Pramac Ducati announced that Elias would replace the injured Hector Barbera until he was deemed fit to race. He raced a Satellite version of the GP12. At Laguna Seca he qualified 17th and retired during the race. He was scheduled to ride at Indianapolis but Barbera decided he wanted to return early, however Barbera suffered a high-side in Practice and injured his leg once more. Elias substituted for him until San Marino.

First MotoGP Victory

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Elías won his first premier class race on 15 October 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 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. Elías was the last non-factory rider to win a race until Jack Miller won for the Marc VDS Racing Team at the 2016 Dutch TT.

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.

MotoAmerica

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In 2016, Elias entered the MotoAmerica Superbike category racing for Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing team using the number 24, alongside teammate Roger Hayden. Elias took first place in the first three races of the season after being called in for substitute duty.[9]

Elias won the Superbike championship in 2017 on 10 victories and 18 podium finishes, never finishing lower than second place for any race where he took the checkered flag.

Elias announced his retirement from MotoAmerica Superbike racing at the end of the 2020 season after 32 career wins and 60 career podium finishes for Suzuki.

Career statistics

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Elías on a Honda RC212V at the 2009 Dutch TT.

Career summary

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Season Series Motorcycle Team Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd
1999 125cc Honda RS125R R.A.C.C. 2 0 0 0 0 2 33rd
Polini 1 0 0 0 0
2000 125cc Honda RS125R Chupa Chups Matteoni Racing 16 0 0 0 0 24 20th
2001 125cc Honda RS125R Telefónica Movistar Junior Team 16 2 9 4 1 217 3rd
2002 250cc Aprilia RSV 250 Telefónica Movistar-Repsol 16 1 5 0 1 178 4th
2003 250cc Aprilia RSV 250 Team Repsol Telefónica Movistar 16 5 7 5 4 226 3rd
2004 250cc Honda RS250RW Fortuna Honda 16 1 8 0 1 199 4th
2005 MotoGP Yamaha YZR-M1 Fortuna Yamaha Team 14 0 0 0 0 74 12th
2006 MotoGP Honda RC211V Fortuna Honda 15 1 1 0 1 116 9th
2007 MotoGP Honda RC212V Honda Gresini 15 0 2 0 2 104 12th
2008 MotoGP Ducati Desmosedici GP8 Alice Team 18 0 2 0 0 92 12th
2009 MotoGP Honda RC212V San Carlo Honda Gresini 17 0 1 0 0 115 7th
2010 Moto2 Moriwaki MD600 Gresini Racing Moto2 17 7 8 3 2 271 1st
2011 MotoGP Honda RC212V LCR Honda MotoGP 17 0 0 0 0 61 15th
2012 MotoGP Ducati Desmosedici GP12 Pramac Racing Team 3 0 0 0 0 10 24th
Moto2 Suter MMX2 Mapfre Aspar Team Moto2 9 0 0 0 0 50 16th
Kalex Moto2 Italtrans Racing Team 4 0 0 0 0
2013 Moto2 Kalex Moto2 Blusens Avintia 11 0 0 0 0 22 18th
Superbike Aprilia RSV4 Factory Red Devils Roma 8 0 0 0 0 70 16th
2014 Superbike Aprilia RSV4 Factory Red Devils Roma 24 0 0 0 0 171 9th
2015 MotoGP Honda RC213V-RS AB Motoracing 1 0 0 0 0 2 27th
Yamaha Forward Forward Racing 5 0 0 0 0
2016 MotoAmerica Superbike Suzuki GSX-R1000 Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing N/A 304 3rd
2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Suzuki GSX-R1000 Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing N/A 410 1st
2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Suzuki GSX-R1000 Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing N/A 339 2nd
2019 MotoAmerica Superbike Suzuki GSX-R1000 Yoshimura Suzuki Factory Racing N/A 362 2nd
2020 MotoAmerica Superbike Suzuki GSX-R1000 M4 ECSTAR Suzuki N/A 222 4th
2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Ducati / Yamaha Panera Bread Ducati / Fresh N' Lean Attack Performance Yamaha N/A 76 12th
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Suzuki GSX-R1000 Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki N/A 49 16th

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

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All statistics according to MotoGP.com[10]

By class

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Class Seasons 1st GP 1st Pod 1st Win Race Win Podiums Pole FLap Pts WChmp
125cc 1999–2001 1999 Spain 2001 France 2001 Netherlands 35 2 9 4 1 243 0
250cc 2002–2004 2002 Japan 2002 Netherlands 2002 Pacific 48 7 20 5 6 603 0
MotoGP 2005–2009, 2011–2012, 2015 2005 Spain 2006 Portugal 2006 Portugal 105 1 6 0 3 574 0
Moto2 2010, 2012–2013 2010 Qatar 2010 Spain 2010 Spain 41 7 8 3 2 343 1
Total 1999–2013, 2015 229 17 43 12 12 1763 1

Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Pts
1999 125cc Honda MAL JPN SPA
21
FRA ITA CAT
Ret
NED GBR GER CZE IMO VAL
14
AUS RSA RIO ARG 33rd 2
2000 125cc Honda RSA
23
MAL
17
JPN
17
SPA
16
FRA
17
ITA
15
CAT
8
NED
Ret
GBR
14
GER
Ret
CZE
14
POR
17
VAL
15
RIO
14
PAC
12
AUS
12
20th 24
2001 125cc Honda JPN
16
RSA
18
SPA
13
FRA
3
ITA
4
CAT
2
NED
1
GBR
2
GER
2
CZE
1
POR
3
VAL
2
PAC
Ret
AUS
3
MAL
6
RIO
4
3rd 217
2002 250cc Aprilia JPN
11
RSA
16
SPA
10
FRA
6
ITA
4
CAT
10
NED
2
GBR
3
GER
6
CZE
3
POR
13
RIO
5
PAC
1
MAL
2
AUS
5
VAL
10
4th 178
2003 250cc Aprilia JPN
Ret
RSA
8
SPA
1
FRA
1
ITA
6
CAT
4
NED
13
GBR
4
GER
7
CZE
2
POR
1
RIO
18
PAC
1
MAL
1
AUS
11
VAL
2
3rd 226
2004 250cc Honda RSA
8
SPA
12
FRA
3
ITA
6
CAT
3
NED
3
RIO
3
GER
22
GBR
Ret
CZE
5
POR
1
JPN
2
QAT
6
MAL
3
AUS
5
VAL
2
4th 199
2005 MotoGP Yamaha SPA
12
POR
14
CHN
14
FRA
9
ITA CAT NED USA
13
GBR
9
GER
12
CZE
14
JPN
9
MAL
11
QAT
8
AUS
9
TUR
6
VAL
10
12th 74
2006 MotoGP Honda SPA
4
QAT
8
TUR
5
CHN
11
FRA
9
ITA
7
CAT
Ret
NED
WD
GBR GER
11
USA
15
CZE
11
MAL
Ret
AUS
9
JPN
6
POR
1
VAL
6
9th 116
2007 MotoGP Honda QAT
14
SPA
4
TUR
2
CHN
Ret
FRA
Ret
ITA
6
CAT
Ret
GBR
12
NED
WD
GER USA CZE
11
RSM
7
POR
8
JPN
3
AUS
15
MAL
6
VAL
10
12th 104
2008 MotoGP Ducati QAT
14
SPA
15
POR
12
CHN
8
FRA
11
ITA
12
CAT
DSQ
GBR
11
NED
12
GER
12
USA
7
CZE
2
RSM
3
INP
12
JPN
16
AUS
11
MAL
15
VAL
18
12th 92
2009 MotoGP Honda QAT
9
JPN
15
SPA
9
FRA
10
ITA
14
CAT
18
NED
12
USA
6
GER
6
GBR
Ret
CZE
3
INP
9
RSM
6
POR
6
AUS
10
MAL
7
VAL
6
7th 115
2010 Moto2 Moriwaki QAT
4
SPA
1
FRA
1
ITA
5
GBR
10
NED
2
CAT
5
GER
1
CZE
1
INP
1
RSM
1
ARA
4
JPN
1
MAL
4
AUS
7
POR
Ret
VAL
30
1st 271
2011 MotoGP Honda QAT
Ret
SPA
9
POR
11
FRA
11
CAT
13
GBR
8
NED
10
ITA
15
GER
16
USA
13
CZE
11
INP
13
RSM
15
ARA
Ret
JPN
Ret
AUS
8
MAL
C
VAL
10
15th 61
2012 Moto2 Suter QAT
13
SPA
9
POR
7
FRA
11
CAT
Ret
GBR
12
NED
9
GER
Ret
ITA
Ret
RSM ARA 16th 50
Kalex JPN
Ret
MAL
12
AUS
12
VAL
9
MotoGP Ducati USA
Ret
INP
11
CZE
11
24th 10
2013 Moto2 Kalex QAT
15
AME
9
SPA
9
FRA
Ret
ITA
11
CAT
Ret
NED
Ret
GER
20
INP
17
CZE
15
GBR
15
RSM ARA MAL AUS JPN VAL 18th 22
2015 MotoGP Honda QAT AME ARG SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER INP
22
CZE GBR RSM 27th 2
Yamaha Forward ARA
21
JPN
20
AUS
22
MAL
14
VAL
20

Superbike World Championship

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Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
2013 Aprilia AUS AUS SPA SPA NED NED ITA ITA GBR GBR POR POR ITA ITA RUS RUS GBR GBR GER GER TUR
6
TUR
5
USA
8
USA
7
FRA
Ret
FRA
8
SPA
5
SPA
4
16th 70
2014 Aprilia AUS
Ret
AUS
9
SPA
7
SPA
9
NED
5
NED
Ret
ITA
9
ITA
7
GBR
9
GBR
8
MAL
5
MAL
4
SMR
6
SMR
6
POR
Ret
POR
10
USA
5
USA
5
SPA
8
SPA
10
FRA
Ret
FRA
Ret
QAT
6
QAT
6
9th 171

Suzuka 8 Hours Results

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Year Team Co-Riders Bike Pos
2015   TOHO Racing with MORIWAKI   Tatsuya Yamaguchi
  Ratthapark Wilairot
Honda CBR1000RR 14th

MotoAmerica[11]

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Races by year

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Year Class Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2
2016 SuperBike Suzuki COA
1
COA
1
ATL
1
ATL
Ret
NJR
18
NJR
12
VIR
3
VIR
3
RAM
4
RAM
2
BAR
2
BAR
1
UMC
4
UMC
1
LGS
2
LGS
3
NJR
1
NJR
1
3rd 304
2017 SuperBike Suzuki COA
1
COA
1
ATL
2
ATL
1
VIR
Ret
VIR
2
RAM
2
RAM
1
UMC
1
UMC
1
LGS
1
LGS
1
SON
2
SON
2
PIT
2
PIT
2
NJR
2
NJR
1
BAR
1
BAR
Ret
1st 390
2018 SuperBike Suzuki ATL
1
ATL
1
COA
4
COA
1
VIR
1
VIR
1
RAM
Ret
RAM
4
LGS
13
LGS
2
UMC
1
UMC
Ret
SON
3
SON
2
PIT
4
PIT
1
NJR
Ret
NJR
3
BAR
1
BAR
1
2nd 339
2019 SuperBike Suzuki ATL
2
ATL
1
COA
1
COA
2
VIR
2
VIR
3
RAM
1
RAM
Ret
UMC
1
UMC
1
LGS
1
LGS
2
SON
2
SON
Ret
PIT
3
PIT
1
NJR
4
NJR
4
BAR
3
BAR
4
2nd 362
2020 SuperBike Suzuki RAM
19
RAM
Ret
RAM
4
RAM
7
ATL
4
ATL
5
PIT
5
PIT
5
TRD
5
TRD
6
NJR
3
NJR
5
BAR
4
BAR
4
IND
4
IND
5
IND
DNS
LGS
2
LGS
3
LGS
2
4th 222
2021 SuperBike Ducati RAT
RAT
VIR
VIR
RAM
RAM
RID
RID
LGS
8
LGS
7
BRA
BRA
PIT
PIT
NJR
NJR
NJR
BAR
BAR
BAR
12th 76
Yamaha RAT
RAT
VIR
VIR
RAM
RAM
RID
RID
LGS
LGS
BRA
BRA
PIT
2
PIT
4
NJR
3
NJR
Ret
NJR
6
BAR
BAR
BAR
2023 SuperBike Suzuki ATL
7
ATL
8
BAR
12
BAR
9
RAM
6
RAM
5
TRD
TRD
LGS
LGS
LGS
BRA
BRA
PIT
PIT
PIT
TEX
TEX
NJR
NJR
16th 49

References

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  1. ^ Former MotoGP race winner Toni Elias retires: ‘Today was my last dance, my last race’ www.crash.net, 5 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023
  2. ^ "MotoAmerica SuperBike results (PDF)" (PDF). MotoAmerica. 2017-08-20.
  3. ^ "The Bike, my life" (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 December 2009.
  4. ^ "Elias returns as Gresini announce 2009 structure". motogp.com. Dorna Sports. 2 October 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  5. ^ "Double surgery for Elías following Jerez fall". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  6. ^ "Elias wins crash-packed Le Mans". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 23 May 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  7. ^ "Toni Elias wins the first Moto2 title". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 10 October 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  8. ^ "Elías to return to premier class with LCR in 2011". motogp.com. Dorna Sports. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  9. ^ "Suzuki Says, "Thank You Toni Elias"". MotoAmerica. October 24, 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
  10. ^ "Rider Statistics – Toni Elías". MotoGP.com. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
  11. ^ "Results and Standings". MotoAmerica. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
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