Antonio Elías Justícia (born 26 March 1983) is a Spanish former professional motorcycle racer and inaugural champion of the 2010 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.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

Elías finished third in the 2016 season, with six wins out of 18 and 304 points, seven less than then-champion Cameron Beaubier. 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

Born in Manresa, Catalonia, Spain Elías started racing in the 125cc World Championship in 2000 at the age of 17, finishing third in 2001 and taking his first win in the Dutch TT at the prestigious Assen circuit. He went to 250cc for 2002, finishing fourth that year, third a year later, and fourth in 2004.

In 2005, Elías 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, Elías returned to Gresini Honda for 2009, replacing Shinya Nakano to ride alongside Alex de Angelis.

For 2010, Elías 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. He was victorious at Le Mans after a chaotic race also led by Alex Debón and Jules Cluzel. 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.

Elías returned to the MotoGP grid in 2011 with Team LCR, riding a Honda RC212V. 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 with the Aspar Team, a team he rode for in the 250cc class. After Mugello, both Elías and Aspar ended their relationship.

On 24 July 2012, Pramac Ducati announced that Elías 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 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 In 2016, Elías 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.

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

Elías 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

Career summary 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 All statistics according to MotoGP.com

By class ClassSeasons1st GP1st Pod1st WinRaceWinPodiumsPoleFLapPtsWChmp 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 (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 FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE IMO VAL AUS RSA RIO ARG 33rd 2 2000 125cc Honda RSA MAL JPN SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE POR VAL RIO PAC AUS 20th 24 2001 125cc Honda JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE POR VAL PAC AUS MAL RIO 3rd 217 2002 250cc Aprilia JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE POR RIO PAC MAL AUS VAL 4th 178 2003 250cc Aprilia JPN RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE POR RIO PAC MAL AUS VAL 3rd 226 2004 250cc Honda RSA SPA FRA ITA CAT NED RIO GER GBR CZE POR JPN QAT MAL AUS VAL 4th 199 2005 MotoGP Yamaha SPA POR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED USA GBR GER CZE JPN MAL QAT AUS TUR VAL 12th 74 2006 MotoGP Honda SPA QAT TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER USA CZE MAL AUS JPN POR VAL 9th 116 2007 MotoGP Honda QAT SPA TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT GBR NED GER USA CZE RSM POR JPN AUS MAL VAL 12th 104 2008 MotoGP Ducati QAT SPA POR CHN FRA ITA CAT GBR NED GER USA CZE RSM INP JPN AUS MAL VAL 12th 92 2009 MotoGP Honda QAT JPN SPA FRA ITA CAT NED USA GER GBR CZE INP RSM POR AUS MAL VAL 7th 115 2010 Moto2 Moriwaki QAT SPA FRA ITA GBR NED CAT GER CZE INP RSM ARA JPN MAL AUS POR VAL 1st 271 2011 MotoGP Honda QAT SPA POR FRA CAT GBR NED ITA GER USA CZE INP RSM ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL 15th 61 Moto2 Suter QAT SPA POR FRA CAT GBR NED GER ITA RSM ARA 16th 50 Kalex JPN MAL AUS VAL MotoGP Ducati USA INP CZE 24th 10 Moto2 Kalex QAT AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER INP CZE GBR RSM ARA MAL AUS JPN VAL 18th 22 MotoGP Honda QAT AME ARG SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER INP CZE GBR RSM 27th 2 Yamaha Forward ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL

Superbike World Championship

Races by year (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 TUR6 TUR5 USA8 USA7 FRARet FRA8 SPA5 SPA4 16th 70 2014 Aprilia AUSRet AUS9 SPA7 SPA9 NED5 NEDRet ITA 9 ITA7 GBR 9 GBR 8 MAL5 MAL4 SMR6 SMR6 PORRet POR10 USA5 USA5 SPA8 SPA10 FRARet FRARet QAT6 QAT6 9th 171

Suzuka 8 Hours Results Year Team Co-riders Bike Pos 2015 TOHO Racing with MORIWAKI Tatsuya Yamaguchi Ratthapark Wilairot Honda CBR1000RR 14th

MotoAmerica Source: Races by year YearClassTeam12345678910PosPtsR1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R3R1R2R3R1R22016SuperBikeSuzukiCOA1COA1ATL1ATLRetNJR18NJR12VIR3VIR3RAM4RAM2BAR2BAR1UMC4UMC1LGS2LGS3NJR1NJR1 3rd 3042017SuperBikeSuzukiCOA1COA1ATL2ATL1VIRRetVIR2RAM2RAM1UMC1UMC1LGS1LGS1SON2SON2PIT2PIT2NJR2NJR1BAR1BARRet 1st 3902018SuperBikeSuzukiATL1ATL1COA4COA1VIR1VIR1RAMRetRAM4LGS13LGS2UMC1UMCRetSON3SON2PIT4PIT1NJRRetNJR3BAR1BAR1 2nd 3392019SuperBikeSuzukiATL2ATL1COA1COA2VIR2VIR3RAM1RAMRetUMC1UMC1LGS1LGS2SON2SONRetPIT3PIT1NJR4NJR4BAR3BAR4 2nd 3622020SuperBikeSuzukiRAM19RAMRetRAM4RAM7ATL4ATL5PIT5PIT5TRD5TRD6NJR3NJR5BAR4BAR4IND4IND5INDDNSLGS2LGS3LGS24th2222021SuperBikeDucatiRATRATVIRVIRRAMRAMRIDRIDLGS8LGS7BRABRAPITPITNJRNJRNJRBARBARBAR12th76YamahaRATRATVIRVIRRAMRAMRIDRIDLGSLGSBRABRAPIT2PIT4NJR3NJRRetNJR6BARBARBAR2023SuperBikeSuzukiATL7ATL8BAR12BAR9RAM6RAM5TRDTRDLGSLGSLGSBRABRAPITPITPITTEXTEXNJRNJR16th49

References

External links