Spain’s road racer Toni Elías, world champion number ten to race Superprestigio event

First FIM Moto2 world champion and current World Superbike racer to face his dirt-track debut at home

November 2014 – Toni Elías, who’s just ended his 17th consecutive season in top road racing –the FIM Superbike World Championship in 2014- has clinched race victories in all categories in the FIM Road Racing World Championship he’s been in. The Spanish rider, born in the town of Manresa -40 miles north from Barcelona- was part of the first “hat-trick” by Spanish motorcycling in the World Championship. In the 2010 season, Jorge Lorenzo, Toni Elías and Marc Márquez clinched MotoGP, Moto2 and 125cc world titles respectively.

Toni Elías was 15 when he debutted in the 1998 125cc Spanish Championship. Since his first Grand Prix appearance in Valence, Spain in 1999, the Spanish racer has won 17 Grand Prixs in four categories (MotoGP, Moto2, 250cc and 125cc). FIM Moto2 world champion in the class opening season (2010), Elias was third both in the 125cc FIM World Championship (2001) and 250cc FIM World Championship (2003).

Elias will not be unifamiliar with the clay on the 200-meter short track inside the Palau Sant Jordi arena. He started racing motocross following his father’s steps –senior Toni Elias clinched eleven Spanish motocross titles in the 80’s- but he switched soon to road racing. Nevertheless, motocross remains as an important part of young Toni’s training schedule.

Elias will race in the Superprestigio class (reserved to roadracers) and the Superprestigio Dirt Track will be his dirt-track debut and also the first time he will be riding inside Barcelona’s olympic arena. He’ll ride a 450 cc Honda supported by the Girona Technical School.

Toni ELÍAS, 2010 FIM Moto2 world champion

“In 1990 I was 7 and was inside the Palau Sant Jordi arena enjoying Barcelona Supercross as an spectator. Nine years earlier my father was racing the first dirt-track event ever held in Barcelona, neither the Sant Jordi arena nor me being in this world yet! Now I am about to race dirt-track in the arena with the most amazing racing atmosphere and my father is supervising my whole training thanks to his work in the Girona Technical School. Life provides beautiful situations like this! I am training and working hard because all entered riders are top-class and we road racers must adapt to a new position on the bike and a new riding technique. It won’t be easy, but my goal is to race the Superprestigio class finals.”