Sete Gibernau
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Seté Gibernau Bultó | |
|---|---|
| MotoGP Record | |
| Nationality |  Spanish |
| Nicknames | |
| Bike # | 15 |
| Current team | Retired |
| World Championships | 0 |
| Race Starts | |
| Race Wins | |
| Podium finishes | |
| Pole positions | |
| Fastest laps | |
| Championship Points | |
| 2006 Championship position | |
Manuel Seté Gibernau Bultó (born December 15, 1972 in Barcelona) is a Spanish former MotoGP rider, currently residing in Switzerland.
After an accident and resultantly injury ridden 2006 season, he was replaced by Casey Stoner for 2007 at the Ducati Marlboro team. He turned down an offer from Kawasaki, and decided to retire from all motorcycle racing.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Gibernau's grandfather was Francisco Xavier "Paco" Bultó, who founded the Bultaco motorcycle company after Montesa pulled out of Observed Trials in 1956. During Gibernau's youth, Bultaco was run by his uncle, Don Paco Bultó.
After trying many different bike categories, in particular those built by his uncle, Seté finally turned to high-speed racing in 1996. Then World Champion Wayne Rainey supported him in the Open Ducados competition, and he ran ran for one year with a Yamaha TZ250. He moved up to 500cc machines with the team for 1997, and in 1998 replaced injured Takuma Aoki on a two cylinder Honda. His breakthrough came when he replaced the injured Mick Doohan at Honda during 1999, helping him to 5th overall[1]. Gibernau failed to perform well for the team in 2000.
[edit] 2001/2 - Suzuki
Gibernau joined Suzuki for 2001, a season in which he took his maiden victory in the rain interrupted race at Valencia. 2002 proved to be a highly inauspicious year for both Gibernau and Suzuki in general with only Akira Ryo taking a podium at the season opening race in Suzuka.
[edit] 2003 MotoGP season
For 2003 he joined Fausto Gresini's Movistar Honda team for 2003. Unfortunately, his Japanese team-mate Daijiro Kato was killed in the season-opening race, and this tragedy seemed to inspire the notoriously temperamental and spiritual Gibernau. With Kato's #74 on the bike alongside his traditional #15, Seté managed not only to win the next round in Welkom but also challenge Valentino Rossi for the championship. 2003 was Gibernau's most consistent season, winning 4 races including the Dutch TT, to gain a total of 277 points - the highest any of any rider not to win the championship.
[edit] 2004 MotoGP season
There was much anticipation surrounding the 2004 championship as Valentino Rossi had made a highly controversial move to Yamaha and Gibernau's pre season and early season speed would indicate he was in perfect position to seize the title. Gibernau finished on the podium in the first 3 races, winning 2 of them and had gained the perfect start to 2004 with Rossi at times struggling to come to terms with his new bike. However a demoralising run of victories went Rossi's way after the French round and didn't abate until Rio de Janeiro where one of the two most surprising incidents of Gibernau and Rossi's rivalries occurred.
Both Gibernau and Rossi were level on points, and Gibernau had the edge on Rossi for most of the weekend. Despite Kenny Roberts Jr taking pole, Gibernau was showing formidable race speed. Despite a poor start Gibernau carved through the field passing his rivals and Rossi seemingly with ease - until he crashed out, losing the front into the second last turn. Rossi, seeking to capitalise, pushed harder but he too then crashed out on the very same corner as Gibernau only a few laps later. Gibernau again crashed out in Germany, this time Rossi stayed aboard but could only manage 4th, 13 points ahead of Gibernau in the championship. Rossi then put in a consistent run of podium finishes to take out the championship, despite Gibernau taking out both the Qatar and Czech rounds
At the 2004 Qatar race their previously good-natured rivalry spilled over, as Rossi accused Gibernau of pressuring officials to disqualify his qualifying result for allegedly later tampering with the track patch from which he started, to get better grip off an unusually dusty surface. Rossi reputedly put a curse on his rival, although this seems to be more of a press beat up, and Gibernau has not won a race since.
[edit] 2005 MotoGP season
Tensions between Gibernau and Rossi came to a head at the first race of 2005 at Jerez. In the penultimate corner, Rossi pushed Gibernau wide on the penultimate corner of the race as Rossi - whether by plan or just through carrying too much speed - missed his braking zone. Rossi claimed victory while Gibernau recovered to claim second. Rossi endured the wrath of the Spanish crowd on the podium. Gibernau was unimpressed with Rossi's move but neither he nor the Gresini team lodged a formal protest. Seté did not have a strong season, finishing the championship in 8th overall. Meanwhile team-mate Marco Melandri finished ahead of Gibernau in the 2005 championship. But 2005 did bring some joy to Gibernau as he easily took out both BMW awards.
[edit] 2006 MotoGP season
Gibernau replaced Carlos Checa at the factory Ducati team, showing prodigious speed with his new team for 2006 in pre season testing.
Gibernau retired from the opening race at Jerez after qualifying in 2nd place, due to electronics issues on his Ducati. Seté took some time to terms with the booming Ducati Desmosedici. He did have a run of point scoring finishes in the early races of the season, at times proved to be faster than his experienced team mate Loris Capirossi. He managed to silence his doubters by taking pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, ahead of home-town favourites, Capirossi and Rossi. He finished fifth in the race, despite completing the race with a bleeding left foot, after his left boot protector fell off during the race.
At the seventh round in Barcelona, Gibernau collided with team mate Loris Capirossi's machine while braking for the first corner, sending them along with four other riders into the gravel trap. The ambulance taking him to hospital hit a coach while entering the facility, where it was later confirmed that he had again broken his collar bone[2]. Gibernau missed the following two races at Assen and Donnington Park, and a third at Brno when an operation during the summer break did not heal quickly enough.
His fitness improved and he managed a commendable 5th place at Sepang in Malaysia on Sunday 10 September. After a finish at the Japanese Grand prix, Sete was fastest in the first ever 800cc test at Motegi. At the last but one round of the 2006 season Sete was riding in 5th place before being collected by Casey Stoner and crashing out. Despite being faultless in the crash, Gibernau was treated for a suspected broken finger and was also feeling discomfort in his collarbone.
[edit] Retirement
Ducati announced on 17 October 2006 that Stoner would take the new 800cc bike with Loris Capirossi in 2007. Gibernau called a press conference for 8 November, where he officially announced his retirement from all motorcycle racing[3][4]
[edit] Personal life
Presently residing in Switzerland, Gibernau has appeared in both versions of the MotoGP game for the Sony PlayStation. Well educated, he speaks fluent Spanish, Catalan, Italian and English; plus some French and German. His hobbies include bicycling and water skiing.
Gibernau's girl friend is the Spanish supermodel Esther Canadas. She is always supportive of Gibernau and often can be seen in the pit garage during races, cheering him on. He formerly rode with a number 15 good luck charm, but now rides with a charm given to him by Canadas. Unfortunately he has failed to win a race since changing his charm.
Like most riders, he has his superstitions - he always puts his right boot on first
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website all in Spanish, no other language versions
- Bio at the offical MotoGP series website
- Bio at MotoGP magazine
- Bio at Motorbike Engine
