Ángel Nieto

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**Angel Nieto**
Motorcycle Grand Prix Career
Nationality	Spanish
Active years	1964 - 1986
Team(s)	Derbi, Morbidelli, Kreidler, Bultaco, Minarelli, Garelli
Grands Prix	186
Championships	50cc - 1969, 1970, 1972, 1975-1977 125cc- 1971, 1972, 1979, 1981-1984
Wins	90
Podium finishes	139
Pole positions	34
Fastest laps	39
First Grand Prix	1964 50cc Spanish Grand Prix
First win	1969 50cc German Grand Prix
Last win	1985 80cc French Grand Prix
Last Grand Prix	1986 80cc Baden-Württemberg Grand Prix

Ángel Nieto (complete name Ángel Nieto Roldán on January 25, 1947 in Zamora, Spain) was a multi-time Grand Prix motorcycle roadracing World Champion. He is considered a national hero in his Spanish homeland.

He specialized in racing small displacement bikes such as in the 50 cc, 80 cc and 125 cc classes but many fellow racers, including former world champion Barry Sheene consider him among the greatest motorcycle racers of all time.

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. He retired in 1986 at the age of 39 with a total of 90 Grand Prix victories and 13 World Championships. His total of 90 Grand Prix victories is second only to the 122 by Giacomo Agostini.

Today he operates a Grand Prix motorcycle racing team with his son, Angel Nieto Jr. as rider. His nephew Fonsi Nieto is also a racer, in World Superbikes in 2006. There is an Angel Nieto museum in Madrid that displays some of his trophies and racing memorabilia. The FIM named him a Grand Prix "Legend" in 2000.

[edit] Motorcycle Grand Prix results

Year	Class	Classification	Machine	Victories
1964	50 cc	10th	Derbi	0
1966	50 cc	9th	Derbi	0
1967	50 cc	4th	Derbi	0
1968	50 cc	4th	Derbi	0
1969	50 cc	1st	Derbi	2
1970	50 cc	1st	Derbi	5
1970	125 cc	2nd	Derbi	4
1971	50 cc	2nd	Derbi	3
1971	125 cc	1st	Derbi	5
1972	50 cc	1st	Derbi	3
1972	125 cc	1st	Derbi	5
1973	125 cc	7th	Morbidelli	0
1974	125 cc	4th	Derbi	2
1975	50 cc	1st	Kreidler	6
1976	50 cc	1st	Bultaco	5
1976	125 cc	2nd	Bultaco	1
1977	50 cc	1st	Bultaco	3
1977	125 cc	3rd	Bultaco	3
1978	125 cc	2nd	Minarelli	4
1979	125 cc	1st	Minarelli	8
1980	125 cc	3rd	Minarelli	4
1981	125 cc	1st	Minarelli	8
1982	125 cc	1st	Garelli	6
1983	125 cc	1st	Garelli	6
1984	125 cc	1st	Garelli	6
1985	80 cc	9th	Derbi	1
1986	80 cc	7th	Derbi	0