Toni Elías comes from a family steeped in motorcycle history. His grandfather used to own a workshop where he repaired Ducatis and competed in hill-climbs around the outskirts of Barcelona. Toni's grandfather passed his passion on two his two sons, who both went on to be successful motocross racers, and when one of them retired from racing he opened a motorcycle shop where young Toni was virtually born and raised. At the age of four he swapped his dummy for a 50cc Yamaha, going out for rides with his Dad and taking part in the occasional event organised by his local motorcycle club. However, he never seemed to have the knack that his father enjoyed and he soon turned his attention to other sports.
Eventually his imagination for two-wheeled competition was caught by some legendary battles on television: Rainey v Schwantz, Pons v Garriga and the dominance of the smaller classes by `Aspar'. Accompanying his parents to a motorshow in Valencia one day, Toni's attention was caught by a mini-bike track on the entrance to the exhibition hall, where he went crazy at the sight of a Wayne Rainey replica on the Polini stand. He pestered his father to buy it, who in turn insisted that he first try it out. Minutes later he was imitating the style of his hero, who he had watched so many times on television.
The Elías family returned from Valencia with a minibike in the trunk, Toni making a victorious racing debut on it in the Catalunya Minibike Championship at the age of six. More race wins and championships followed, his father building new bikes as he grew bigger. Toni Sr built the chassis and Toni Jr tested it out. At the age of ten he moved onto a scooter, still competing at Catalunya regional level, and after three years on a Yamaha JOG-R, with some tests on a 50cc TZR, he made the step up to the Spanish Championship.
In 1998 he took his first steps on the national stage riding an old Yamaha, although the experience served him well when he switched to a Honda the following season and took third place in the championship, earning himself World Championship wildcard appearances at Jerez, Montmeló and Valencia in the process. Two points at Valencia opened the door to a full time 125cc ride in 2000 thanks to a partnership between Dani Amatriaín and Matteoni Racing. In 2001 Alberto Puig signed him up to ride for the Telefónica Movistar Junior team alongside a teenage Dani Pedrosa and Joan Olivé, a move that would wield his first victory in a breathtaking Dutch TT at Assen. With eight further podiums it was only a few early season problems that denied him the title, although he still finished an impressive third.
In 2002 he stepped up to the 250cc class with ‘Aspar’ and picked up his first win in the category late in the season at Motegi, with four other podiums leaving him fourth overall in his rookie season. A clear title contender for 2003, he stayed with ‘Aspar’ and took five wins, missing out on the title after a crash in Brazil when fighting for the win. In 2004 he changed sponsor and factory, picking up eight podiums in a season that largely failed to live up to expectations.
In 2005 he made the step up to MotoGP with the backing of his main sponsor Fortuna. His first ride in the premier-class was a Yamaha and it proved to be a intense and often interrupted learning season, with injury coming in the fourth round of the season at Le Mans, where he broke his scaphoid, ulna, radius and astragalus and was ruled out for three races. In 2006 he signed for Team Gresini and after running close to podium finishes on several occasions he sealed a contract for another year with a stunning first victory in Portugal, where he beat Valentino Rossi in a thrilling battle to the line.
The 2007 season was again ruined by injury, with a broken femur at the Dutch TT again ruling him out of three races. He fought back to finish the season with a podium in Japan, before taking a risky switch to Team Ducati Pramac for 2008. After a difficult start he scored podiums at Brno and Misano, earning a return to Team Gresini to ride their 800cc Honda. However, one podium all season was not enough to secure his place in MotoGP for the following year.
So it was that his career in theory took a step backwards for 2010, taking on the brand new Moto2 World Championship. However, it proved to be Elías' best season yet, the Spaniard using his experience to dominate the inaugural year of the new series with eight podiums - seven of them wins. His consistency, tenacity and expertise produced the title that his CV was lacking and finally lifted a weight off his shoulders. It also opened the door for a return to MotoGP but 2011 would sadly become his most disappointing season, with a host of setbacks badly affecting his confidence. For 2012 he returns to the Aspar Team for another assault on the Moto2 title, with his focus firmly set on getting his career back on track in the best way possible.
Well known for his honest, funny and loquacious nature, there are few riders who work or train harder than Toni Elías. A fans' favourite because of his fun and friendly demeanour, Toni likes nothing better than spending his free time with family and lifelong friends, spending as much time as possible with them in his favourite place - the small seaside town of Cadaqués.