| Ángel Nieto | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Ángel Nieto in 1972 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Spanish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 25 January 1947 (1947-01-25) Zamora, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 3 August 2017(2017-08-03) (aged 70) Ibiza, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ángel Nieto Roldán (25 January 1947 – 3 August 2017) was aSpanish professionalGrand Prix motorcycle racer. He was one of the most accomplished motorcycle racers in the history of the sport, winning 13World Championships and 90 Grand Prix victories in a racing career that spanned twenty-three years from 1964 to 1986, mainly competing in 50cc, 80cc and 125cc displacement classes respectively.[1][2] His total of 90 Grand Prix victories ranks him fourth only toGiacomo Agostini (122),Valentino Rossi (115) andMarc Márquez (99).[3] In 2011, Nieto was named anFIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements.[4]
Nieto specialized in racing small displacement bikes such as in the50 cc, 80 cc and 125 cc classes but many fellow racers, including formerworld championBarry Sheene consider him among the greatest motorcycle racers of all time.[1] Though he was never successful at the world level racing in the larger displacements, he won Spanish National Championships in the 50 cc, 125 cc, 250 cc, 500 cc and 750 cc classes.[1] He retired in1986 at the age of 39 with a total of 90 Grand Prix victories and13 World Championships. Due to histriskaidekaphobia, he preferred to refer to his championship tally as "12+1".[5]
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Later, Nieto operated a Grand Prix motorcycle racing team with two riders – his son,Ángel Nieto Jr. andEmilio Alzamora, who won the 125 cc title. He commentated on Grand Prix races forSpanish television. There is an Ángel Nieto museum inMadrid that displays some of his trophies and racing memorabilia. TheFIM named him a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2000.[6] Nieto attended the2008 French Grand Prix at theLe Mans Bugatti Circuit on 18 May 2008, dressed to ride with a special shirt congratulatingValentino Rossi for equalling Nieto's 90 wins. Nieto mounted Rossi's bike, and Rossi as a passenger held a flag aloft with "90 + 90", as they took avictory lap.[7]
Nieto had been living inIbiza for many years.[8] His two sons, Ángel Jr. andPablo, both followed their father into motorcycle racing, as well as his nephewFonsi Nieto.[9][10][11]
On 26 July 2017, Nieto was hit by a car while driving hisquad bike in Ibiza. He was taken to a hospital with ahead trauma where he was put into amedically-induced coma and underwent surgery; his condition had been called "serious but not critical".[12][13] On 3 August, his condition significantly worsened after being woken from hiscoma. He died the same day, aged 70.[12]
A documentary calledÁngel Nieto: 12+1, directed by Álvaro Fernández Armero, was released in 2005. The film covers his entire career and a wide array of competitors, cyclists inspired by him and reporters who covered his career contribute their opinions and impressions regarding his fight to achieve and sustain his goal of world champion.[14] The 1973 year, when Nieto raced with the 125 Morbidelli, is also recalled in the documentaryMorbidelli – a story of men and fast motorcycles, released in 2014 and directed by Jeffrey Zani and Matthew Gonzales.[15]
In 2018, theCircuito de Jerez, which has hosted theSpanish motorcycle Grand Prix since 1989, was officially renamed to Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto.
Points system from 1964 to 1968:
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Points | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Points system from 1969 onwards:
| Position | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; races initalics indicate fastest lap)
Source:[3]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
