Press Release | November 15, 2019
The four-time World Champion joins a select group of riders in the history of Grand Prix racing, including the likes of Ángel Nieto and Giacomo Agostini.
This is a press release from Ángel Nieto Team…
Four-time motorcycle racing World Champion Jorge Martínez “Aspar” was this afternoon officially named as a MotoGP Legend in a special ceremony that took place at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. The former rider and now boss of the Ángel Nieto Team was presented with the honor by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna, in an emotional ceremony.
The 2019 season marks four decades in racing for Jorge Martínez “Aspar,” who made his debut in January 1979 at an event in Guadassuar (Valencia). This recognition is the culmination of a dream held by a young Jorge Martínez forty years ago, who only wanted to ride his bike.
During his career, Jorge Martínez “Aspar” won four titles: three in the 80cc World Championship (1986, 1987 and 1988) and one in the 125cc World Championship (1988), becoming the last ever double-World Champion in a single season in 1988, when he won fifteen races. During its rich seventy-year history, only thirteen riders have won more titles than Jorge Martínez “Aspar.”
The Spaniard is also in the top twenty all-time Grand Prix winners’ list, with 37 victories (22 in 80cc and 15 in 125cc). “Aspar” opened his account at the Dutch TT at Assen in 1984 and continued to win races over the following ten years, up until his final success in the Grand Prix of Argentina. In total, he stepped onto the podium on 61 occasions (37 victories, 14 second places and 10 thirds) and he is the fifth most winningest Spaniard in Grand Prix history.
“Aspar” now joins an illustrious list of MotoGP Legends that also includes Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Ángel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington, Dani Pedrosa, Nicky Hayden and Stefan Dörflinger.
Jorge Martínez “Aspar”: “Today is a very happy day for me. I want to thank Carmelo Ezpeleta and Dorna for this recognition, and everybody else that has helped me over the last forty years of racing – from being a young kid starting out in the sport and now as a team boss.
“For Dorna to name me as a MotoGP Legend is a dream come true. Who would have thought that could happen to a kid from Alzira, who only ever wanted to race his motorcycle. Now it is an honour for me to enter this ‘Hall of Fame’ – the MotoGP Legends are the best in the history of the sport and it is incredible to join a group of so many wonderful riders.”
