Toni Elias, the renowned MotoGP race winner and Moto2 champion, has announced his retirement from two-wheel racing. The decision comes after securing a respectable fifth-place finish in the Road America Superbike race on June 4, 2023.
Elias, known for his impressive record of 17 grand prix victories across multiple classes, including 125cc, 250cc, Moto2, and Racing, is particularly remembered for his remarkable triumph over Valentino Rossi in the 2006 Estoril race.
This win marked Elias’ first premier-class rostrum and stood as the last MotoGP victory by a satellite rider until Jack Miller’s triumph in 2016.
After struggling to secure further wins in the 800cc MotoGP class, Elias transitioned to the newly formed Moto2 category in 2010 and clinched the championship title in its inaugural season with Gresini. Despite returning to MotoGP with LCR Honda, Elias failed to make a significant impact and spent the next few seasons accepting temporary MotoGP rides between his Moto2 commitments.
However, Elias experienced a remarkable resurgence when he moved to the United States in 2016. He made a victorious debut in MotoAmerica and went on to claim the championship title in the following season.
Elias continued to compete in MotoAmerica, finishing as the championship runner-up in 2018 and 2019 while riding for Suzuki. His final full campaign took place in 2020, followed by sporadic appearances in races before signing with Team Hammer/Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki for the 2023 season.
After securing a fifth-place finish in the recent race, Elias emotionally announced his retirement on live television, referring to it as his “last dance.” He expressed his gratitude to Chris Ulrich, John Ulrich, Team Hammer, and all those who had supported him throughout his career. Elias acknowledged that his return to racing did not meet his expectations but expressed his appreciation for the enjoyable moments in his final race.
With his retirement, Elias leaves behind an illustrious career that saw him compete at the highest level of motorcycle racing and make a lasting impact on the sport. Fans and fellow riders alike will undoubtedly remember his fierce battles on the track and his significant contributions to the MotoGP and Moto2 championships.
Honda recently revealed its Honda Racing Corporation plans for the upcoming 2023 season, including motorcycle and automotive racing series.
Honda actively developing electric motorcycles for racing.
Honda announced new motorsport plans for 2023.
Honda also announced its motor racing lineup for 2023, including MotoGP, WorldSBK and WorldSSP.
However, the announcement also revealed that the Japanese marquee is developing electric motorcycles for racing.
According to Honda director and senior managing executive officer Shinji Aoyama, the firm is pursuing a new mission in the motorsport arena.
“In the meantime, Honda has another critical mission to pursue in the area of motorsports.
“It is the realization of carbon neutrality. Honda has already been conducting research and development of technologies for carbon neutrality while proactively leveraging the field of motorsports.
“From now onward, we will further enhance our initiatives to put such technologies into practical use in our racing activities.
“Moreover, starting with motorcycles, we will explore possibilities of introducing electrified vehicles in actual races where we compete,” he explained.
Shinji’s speech certainly builds excitement around Honda’s electric motorcycle project. Furthermore, an electric racing motorcycle certainly means developing a powerful electric motor which could be applied to the firm’s future production of electric two-wheelers.
That said, we’re looking forward to Honda’s maiden electric race bike.
5. Carl Fogarty vs. Scott Russell, WSB, 1992 – 1994
There has never been such intense rivalry in WSB since Carl Fogarty and Scott Russell’s in the early 90s.
The two were WSB contenders, with the American Russell winning the 1993 crown on the Kawasaki Ninja ZXR-750, while Fogarty’s (more popularly called “Foggy”) reign started from 1994 on the new Ducati 916. The pair had even refused to shake hands on many occasions. Legend has it that Foggy named his pet pig after his No. 1 rival.
The intense hatred was even brought all the way to America in the 1994 Daytona 200 race which Russell won. They refused to look at each other on the podium and post-race press conference. When answering questions, they reached out to the microphone and yanked it away from in front of another.
4. Valentino Rossi vs. Max Biaggi, 500cc GP, 2000 – 2005
Valentino Rossi had moved up through the 125cc and 250cc GP ranks at a meteoric pace and moved up to the 500cc championship in 2000 and started playing mind games with anyone who had challenged him on track. While he built a massive army of followers worldwide through his on-track and off-track shenanigans, he’s only a friend on the track when results are going his way. It’s also due to his that tribalism exists among MotoGP fans: You’re automatically branded as a Rossi fan-boy if you criticized other riders.
By 2001, he was ready to challenge Max Biaggi after the defending champion, Kenny Roberts Jr. faded. Biaggi, known as the “Roman Emperor” had to show the young punk a who’s top dog.
Courtesy of MotoGP.com
At the 2001 Suzuka 500cc GP race, Biaggi elbowed Rossi onto the grass while the pair was travelling at around 220 km/h. Rossi repassed Biaggi on the next lap and saluted the latter with his middle finger. Both riders were fined and given a stern warning for “unsportsmanlike conduct.” The rivalry came to a head at Catalunya when the two scuffled on the steps leading up to the podium. When Biaggi was asked about the mark on his face, he replied that he was “bitten by a mosquito.”
3. Valentino Rossi vs. Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo – MotoGP, 2007 – 2011
2007 was the year of the 800cc four-stroke machines in MotoGP. Suddenly, it was Australian Casey Stoner on the Ducati who started beating Rossi. Rossi claimed that it was because of the Bridgestone tyres on the Ducati which let Stoner win. Stoner dominated the season by winning ten races and gave Ducati their first and still only MotoGP title.
But things flared up further when the pair battled hard at the 2008 USGP at Laguna Seca. Rossi made an aggressive pass into the famous Corkscrew chicane, causing Stoner to drop his Ducati. Further angering Stoner was Rossi’s comments after the race, “The fight was very funny,” although some thought the Italian meant “fun.” Stoner was of course more caustic in his reply, calling Rossi’s tactics dirty and dangerous.
Stoner moved onto the factory Honda in 2011 and this was the year of another interface with Rossi. At a wet Jerez race, Stoner had been following the late-Marco Simoncelli. Rossi, who was now on a Ducati, lunged up inside Stoner on the way into Turn One, skidded and took both men out. However, all the marshals ran over to assist Rossi while no one did so for Stoner. Again, the Australian went on TV to criticize Rossi, saying “Your ambition outweighs your talent.” Then fans of both camps got involved and it started a war of words on Twitter.
2. Kevin Schwantz vs. Wayne Rainey, AMA Superbikes and 500cc GP, 1986 – 1993
The rivalry between these two legends had begun way back even before we saw them on TV in the 500cc GP. Their intense dislike for each other had started when they were contesting in the United States and what we saw in the GPs was just a continuation.
They had hated each other so much that they openly admitted to barging into each other and riding dirty. Schwantz said, “We would ride each other right into the grandstands.” Their rivalry was so intense they couldn’t look at each other on the podium.
Things took a different turn when Rainey was paralysed by his crash at Misano in 1993. That accident force Schwantz to reflect upon on his own mortality. Besides, with his greatest rival gone, his reason for pushing himself hard was gone too. It was when both riders realized that neither knew why they hated each other.
Schwantz decided the best thing he could do was support Rainey through his hardship and both have become good friends ever since.
1. Valentino Rossi vs. Marc Marquez, MotoGP, 2015 and ongoing
Schwantz vs. Rainey would have been the Number 1 rivalry if not for this very intense and very current state of affairs.
Both riders have been good friends even when Marquez had dominated and won from his very first season in MotoGP. It had seemed that Rossi may have mellowed out somewhat because they remained affable with each other despite a few aggressive passes on-track. However, it all changed from 2015.
Rossi had been battling with Lorenzo all season long and the former led the standings going into the penultimate round in Malaysia. Marquez had been third up to that point and was out of a title shot. Marquez turned up the aggression during the race, passing Rossi in do-or-die situations, while Lorenzo disappeared at the front. Rossi even signaled to Marquez to back off at one point, but there was no end to chopping and cutting off. An exasperated Rossi then pushed Marquez wide, causing the Spaniard to crash.
Rossi would later accuse Marquez of helping Lorenzo to win the title; an allegation Marquez had consistently denied. Many had speculated that Marquez had felt that it was Rossi who had cost him the title that year and was out for revenge.
Rossi was penalized and sent to the back of the grid for the final race in Valencia. He fought his way up the order but lost the title to Jorge Lorenzo.
Both riders made amends at the Catalan GP in 2016. It was a move welcomed by the racing community and fans alike.
But, just as everyone thought that was the end, Marquez did a mistake during the 2018 Argentinian GP which knocked Rossi out. Rossi held a special press conference to call Marquez irresponsible, dangerous and damaging the sport as a whole.
Both riders have yet to talk to each other at the time of this article.
Motorcycle racing has always served up the most colorful characters.
When these characters get in each other’s ways, equally colourful rivalries flare up.
It’s these rivalries, among other things, that make motorcycle racing so interesting to watch.
The recent rivalry altercations between Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez aren’t new, that’s for sure.
Marc Marquez (93) rubbing Valentino Rossi (46)
As PR-savvy as they are, professional motorcycle racers are humans too. And being humans, they are just as prone to emotions, or maybe even more so since they have their livelihoods and pride at stake. However, it’s this kind of rivalries that provide the colours for us spectators.
10. Neil Hodgson vs. Aaron Slight, WSB, 1998
Hodgson (5) leading Slight (111)
You may have heard of both of these names, since they are both now motorcycle racing commentators, especially Aaron Slight in MotoGP nowadays.
Just before the start of the World Superbike race at Brands Hatch in 1998, the New Zealander Aaron Slight told Neil Hodgson to get out of his way since he wanted to challenge Carl Fogarty for the WSB title.
First of all, Hodgson and Slight are not teammates, and secondly, how could Hodgson give way when he’s riding on his own home ground. Neil ignored Slight’s “team orders” and raced the latter hard in the race. Slight got so furious and lashed out at Hodgson during the cool down lap. Both men then dropped their super-exotic race bikes for a boxing match. The track marshals pulled them apart before WSB organizers could organize a new category for boxing.
Wait! Was this the reason Aaron Slight talks so slow now?
9. Loris Capirossi vs. Tetsuya Harada, 250cc GP, 1998
Capirossi (65) takes out Harada (31) – Courtesy of enoanderson.com
Aprilia had fielded a 3-man factory team consisting of Loris Capirossi, Tetsuya Harada and newcomer Valentino Rossi. Capirossi had led the standings with a mere four points as they went into the final round at Argentina, but Harada was as determined to win the championship and was leading the race. Capirossi knew he had no real chance of passing the Japanese. If it finished this way, Harada would be crowned champion by just 1 point.
Capirossi knew what he had to do. He lunged inside Harada and took both of them out, and stole the title.
Aprilia was livid and so was Harada, understandably. The factory refused to extend Capirossi a contract for the next year although he was the 250cc champion.
8. Dani Pedrosa vs. Nicky Hayden (RIP), MotoGP, 2006
Pedrosa knocks out Hayden – Courtesy of MotoGP.com
The late-Nicky Hayden had been battling with Valentino Rossi throughout the entire 2006 season. The latter had won five races but was sidelined a number of times due to mechanical failures on other times, but was still able to claw his way back from a 51-point deficit to challenge Hayden at the last two rounds.
But even at this stage, Hayden’s teammate Dani Pedrosa was determined to not play the bridesmaid and was willing to go toe-to-toe with the American for a win.
At the penultimate round in Estoril, Portugal, instead of supporting Hayden, both teammates were locked in a fierce battle. Soon, the inevitable happened when Pedrosa stuffed his bike inside Hayden’s, taking them both out. (That brash move even sparked a meme.)
The Honda camp thought Hayden’s chance for a world title was a cooked goose.
However, Rossi crashed at the next and final round in Valencia. He remounted to in 13th, handing the title to Hayden with a five-point gap, ironically reflecting the five points he lost to Toni Elias, the winner in Portugal.
7. Matt Mladin vs. Ben Spies, AMA Superbikes, 2000 – 2008
Spies (1) leading Mladin (66) – Courtesy of AMA
Australian Matt Mladin had dominated the American Superbike Championship but winning the title six years in a row, before a young upstart by the name of Ben Spies came along to show the way. Mladin felt humiliated and resorted to trash talking with statements such as, “He (Spies) still has his mom hanging around wiping his bum,” in the hopes of unravelling Spies.
But Spies took it all in his stride and won three titles in a row, before moving to WSBK to win the title in his rookie season, and then jumping over to MotoGP.
6. Kenny Roberts Sr. vs. Barry Sheene, 500cc GP, 1978 – 1982
Sheene (7) leading Roberts (1) – Courtesy of otorcycleoftheday.blogspot.com
Barry Sheene had been the 500cc World GP champion until the arrival of a mad Californian who rides his bike sideways. Kenny Roberts.
Both riders took an immediate dislike of each other. Sheene was asked what he thought about Roberts being a development rider to which he replied, “He couldn’t develop a cold.” Kenny Roberts retorted by saying that the only reason he got out bed every morning was to beat Barry Sheene.
Their rivalry reached its zenith at the 1979 British GP when Sheene flashed Roberts the middle finger after passing the latter. Roberts fought back immediately and started an epic battle before getting the better of Englishman to win the race.
Stay tuned for Part 2 as we count down to the fiercest rivalries in motorcycle racing!
