MotoGP: Repsol celebrates 40 years of competitions

The Spanish company celebrates four decades in the Motorcycle World Championship, during which it has won 25 titles in all categories. Repsol has been present in the world of sport as a sponsor since 1969 and two years later entered the world of two wheels. Ángel Nieto, Jorge Martinez “Aspar”, Sito Pons, Alex Criville, Emilio Alzamora, Mick Doohan, Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa, Marc Márquez… Great names in the history of motorcycling, both in Spain and abroad, with something in common: all have been or still are Repsol pilots. Repsol has written the history of this sport over the four decades in which it has confirmed itself as one of the longest-standing sponsors of this specialty.

It all started in 1971, when a young Ángel Nieto wore an 'R' on his Derbi fairing for the first time. It was May 9th 40 years ago when the first round of the season took place at the Salzburgring. Ángel Nieto reached the podium twice in that race: in second place in the 50cc category and on the top step in the 125cc category. That year he won his first title in the 125cc class and placed second in the smaller category. A positive start for Repsol, which thus began its sponsorship of motorcycling races. However, the first to wear the Repesa-Repsol logo were rally drivers Alberto Ruíz Giménez, Eladio Doncel and José Manuel Lencina, who competed with Lancia and Alfa Romeo cars in 1969. This original design was used by Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso at the Valencia Grand Prix in 2008, and is still present in the Classic Team Repsol car.

Cradle of Champions

Jorge Martinez “Aspar”
Since Angel Nieto's debut, Repsol riders have always been protagonists in the pages of the history of this sport. Jorge Martinez “Aspar” won the 1988 and 80 class title in 125. That same year, Sito Pons, with his Honda NSR 250, won the 250cc title wearing Campsa's livery. However, it was the premier class that had the Repsol brand as its main sponsor. In fact, in 1995 the company linked its sponsorship strategy with the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and the official team, together with Mick Doohan, Alex Criville and riders such as Tadayuki Okada or Takuma Aoki dominating the second half of the decade. Repsol's alliance with Honda is still one of the strongest: it has produced nine drivers' titles and the same amount of manufacturers' titles. Australian Mick Doohan was the champion for four years. Crivillé won the 1999cc title in 500, and was the first Spaniard to win the 500cc.

Dani Pedrosa

That same season, Emilio Alzamora, another Repsol rider, won the 125cc World Championship crown. Two years later, in 2001, the 500cc class saw Valentino Rossi take the title, once again with the support of Repsol. In 250cc, Daijiro Kato won the title and over the next two years Rossi maintained his dominance in the premier class, this time with a 990cc. At the same time Dani Pedrosa won the 125cc title and is still one of the top riders of the Repsol Honda Team. Another world champion wearing Repsol colors was Nicky Hayden, winner of the 2006 MotoGP title.

The latest addition to this list of Champions was Marc Márquez, who last year won the eighth-litre title, breaking many records. This season, the Repsol Honda Team is one of the strongest teams in the category with three bikes at the start, namely those of Dani Pedrosa, Casey Stoner and Andrea Dovizioso, who already boast two victories in the first three races held. During these 42 years in the World Motorcycle Championship, the Repsol name is consolidated as one of the most important among fans, it is no longer a simple sponsor, but a symbol of competition at the highest level and synonymous with innovation, technology and excellence in fuels.

Repsol Honda – Translation by MotoGrandPrix