Sete Gibernau Bultó Manuel (born December 15, 1972 in Barcelona) is a former Spanish MotoGP pilot, currently residing in Switzerland. After retiring from racing in 2006, returned to the MotoGP season in 2009. However, the July 12, 2009, his team announced that Grupo Francisco Hernando withdraws from MotoGP, with immediate effect.
Valentino Rossi has referred to Stoner, Gibernau followed by their toughest rival’s ever.Gibernau was known for its humid climate and is sometimes called capabilities rainmaster. However, although his style was too often let down by a seemingly temperamental nature. In the setbacks of the race could disproportionately affect their competitiveness, both negative and positive. His career started slowly until he found his motivation and his talent became intermittently coherent. Then he was the main challenge for the crown to Rossi in 2005. 2006 brought a series of emotional, technical, and size of the lesions to appear to undermine their motivation. Culminating in a half season of racing without incident because he actually removed from the tournament.
The Ducati Marlboro team replaced him with Casey Stoner for 2007. He rejected offers from Kawasaki, Sito Pons and Ilmor team and decided to retire from all forms of motorcycling. In 2008, announced his return to MotoGP for the 2009 season. He is undoubtedly one of the best riders in MotoGP have never won the title.
Gibernau was the grandfather of Francis Xavier "Paco" Bultó who founded the company Bultaco Montesa motorcycles brought after the tests reported in 1956. During the youth of Gibernau, Bultaco was directed by his uncle, Don Paco Bultó.
After testing different bike categories, particularly those built by his uncle, finally went to Seven high-speed racing in 1996. Time world champion Wayne Rainey supported him in the Open competition ducats, and ran for a year with a Yamaha TZ250. He moved up to 500 cc machine with the team for 1997, and in 1998 replaced an injured Takuma Aoki on a two-cylinder Honda. Its discovery occurred when replacing the injured Mick Doohan Honda in 1999, helping to 5 in general. Gibernau not work well for the team in 2000.
Gibernau joined Suzuki in 2001, a season in which he took his first victory in the rain interrupted the race in Valencia. 2002 was a year very little for both Gibernau and generally with Suzuki Akira Ryo, taking only one podium in the season-opening race in Suzuka.
However, in the last year of racing, Sete become an incredible performance, turning in fastest lap after fastest lap and constitute a vast field before crashing on Rossi in the final laps. This was a sign of things to come.
In 2003 he joined Fausto Gresini’s Movistar Honda team for 2003. Unfortunately, his teammate Daijiro Kato Japanese died (on accident) in the season-opening race in Suzuka, Japan and the tragedy seems to inspire the very temperamental and spiritual Gibernau. Kato with # 74 on the bike next to his traditional # 15 Sete managed not only to win the next round, but also in Welkom challenge Valentino Rossi for the championship throughout the year. Gibernau 2003 was the most consistent season, winning 4 races including the Dutch TT, for a total of 277 points – the second highest total ever to win the title (behind Casey Stoner with 280 in 2008). Valentino Rossi has described his career in 2003 as "… the year of Gibernau, it is hard to finish …"
There was much anticipation surrounding the 2004 championship as Valentino Rossi has made a surprising move by Yamaha and Gibernau last season and early season to indicate the speed was in perfect position to take the title. Gibernau finished on the podium in the first 3 races, winning 2 of them and had earned a perfect place to start 2004 with Rossi sometimes difficult to reach an agreement with his new bike. However, a run of victories was the way to Rossi after the French round and not shortened to Rio de Janeiro, where one of the most striking incidents of Gibernau and Rossi rivalry occurred.
Gibernau and Rossi were the level, Gibernau and Rossi had the advantage throughout most of the weekend. Despite Kenny Roberts, Jr., taking pole, Gibernau is formidable race speed. Despite a poor start carving Gibernau field that passes through his rivals Rossi and apparently with ease – until it crashed, losing the front on the penultimate lap. Rossi, seeking to capitalize, pushed harder, but then he crashed in the same corner as Gibernau few laps later. Gibernau crashed in Germany again, this time he stayed on board Rossi, but could only manage 4, going 13 points ahead of Gibernau in the championship. Rossi then set a deadline of podium finishes to make the championship, Gibernau, despite winning at Brno and Losail
In 2004 Qatar’s career and his good-natured rivalry spilled over, and Rossi accused Gibernau of pressuring officials to disqualify the outcome rating for the alleged manipulation of the subsequent revision of the runway from which he started to get a better grip is unusually dusty surface. However, it was the team Gibernau, Sete not himself, had observed that alteration of the runway and asked the organizers of the race to investigate. The security cameras’ tapes showed Rossi’s team handling the track, making extended burn-outs (spinning tires) in your area from rubber built through it and provided a better grip. Organizers moved the race Rossi to the back of the grid. The media reported that Rossi put a curse on his rival for the weekend; Gibernau never won another race.
Tensions between Rossi and Gibernau came to a point in the first race in Jerez 2005. Gibernau led most of the race with Rossi a close second. In the penultimate lap, Rossi attacked and passed Gibernau to take the lead, then opened a gap Gibernau. However, Rossi has made a mistake and was re-approved by Gibernau with a lap remaining. In the final corner, Rossi made an aggressive move on Gibernau to take the initiative and win the race. During the show, Rossi and Gibernau Gibernau came into contact and was unable to complete the turn and ran wide into the gravel, not fall and was able to continue and finish second. The move was controversial among observers, and some considered too aggressive or dirty racing, while others felt it was a brilliant career move. The Spanish crowd booed and whistled at Rossi after the race. Gibernau was impressed with the movement of Rossi, but neither he nor his Gresini team filed a formal protest.
Subsequently, Sete not have a strong season, finishing the tournament at 8. Meanwhile, team-mate Marco Melandri finished ahead of Gibernau in the championship of 2005. But 2005 did not bring joy to Gibernau as he easily took BMW prizes.
Gibernau replaced Carlos Checa on the factory Ducati team, with prodigious speed with his new team for the 2006 season in the pre-testing.
Gibernau retired from the opening race in Jerez after qualifying in 2nd place due to problems in its electronics Ducati. Seven took some time to reach an agreement with the rise of the Ducati Desmosedici. He had a career scoring finishes in the first race of the season, has sometimes proved to be faster than his experienced colleague Loris Capirossi. He managed to silence hesitate taking the pole position in the Italian Grand Prix, ahead of house favorites, Capirossi and Rossi. He finished fifth in the race, despite finishing the race with the left foot bleeding, after his left boot protector fell during the race.
The seventh round at Catalunya in Barcelona Gibernau as the rest of the season and the rest of his career, in an extraordinary clash described later by race commentators as "terrifying" and "I have never been so scared in my life, a commentating career. " In the first corner of overcrowding, a right-handed fast Capirossi Gibernau’s team moved around to the left of the traffic through the line faster Sete (over 124 mph (198 km / h) when accident, according to the data) and collected his front brake lever lock Sete front wheel of his bike and flipping end over end. Only narrowly missed landing in the unconscious SETE. In the group resulting from shock, 6 riders went into the gravel, 5 bicycles were destroyed, 3 runners were taken to hospital, and race organizers stopped the race. Sete then the ambulance had an accident on the way to hospital, hitting a bus 50 meters from the entrance to the hospital, but suffered no other injury.It later confirmed that he had concussion and a broken bone in hand and re-break the neck of the broken bone in Assen, which requires the removal and replacement of the metal plate.
The injuries came at a bad time – Catalunya was the first of 5 races in 6 weeks. Gibernau lost the next two races in Assen and Donington Park. Despite feeling weak, she ran in Germany and the U.S. races and was never far behind his team adjuster on identical machinery: at the Sachsenring finished just 3 places behind Capirossi, Laguna Seca and finished just 2 places behind. However, within 3 days of returning to Barcelona, was back in the hospital: the titanium plate in her neck had weakened the bone, causing complications. He lost the round in Brno in the Czech Republic.
Improving their skills and gained a creditable 5th place at Sepang in Malaysia on Sunday, September 10, and 3 had a podium snatched from him in a final effort to GASP Rossi at Philip Island in Australia. After another 4th place in the Japanese Grand Prix, Sete was fastest in the first test of 800 cc at Motegi. In the penultimate round of the season Sete was in the 5th place, when Casey Stoner crashed in front of him too closely to prevent and Sete down to him. Gibernau suffered a broken fifth metacarpal in his hand and apparently had doubled again to a titanium plate in his neck bone.
Gibernau lost his trip in late 2006 when it announced October 17 Ducati 2006 Casey Stoner will replace the new-for-2007 800 cc bike alongside Capirossi. Kawasaki offered a place, but Gibernau decided instead to withdraw from all motor racing, told a press conference on November 8, 2006 "If I had accepted offers to continue just for the sake of exercising then I do not have been happy, especially if it is just for money. "
Gibernau returned to action, testing the Desmosedici GP9 at the Mugello circuit, alongside official test pilot Vittoriano Guareschi, within three days beginning June 17, 2008. There was speculation that he might soon replace Marco Melandri on board the second factory Ducati for the last races of the 2008 season. Despite positive results Ducati MotoGP Project Director Livio suppo not willing to confirm any definite future with the team by Gibernau. Sete again test the Desmosedici GP8 and GP9 in a test three days beginning July 1, 2008 at the Mugello circuit. We recorded a best time of 1’50 .5 on board the GP8 tires in the race, only a few tenths of this year’s race at Mugello record set by Casey Stoner. To watch a 1’48 .9 on July 30 at Mugello on qualifying tires that have placed him 7th on the grid for the 2008 Italian Grand Prix motorcycle.
After some months of speculation, on October 23 in Valencia, was officially confirmed that it was going to race again in 2009 ONDE 2000 Ducati a Ducati satellite team run by Angel Nieto. The brigade is supported by ONDE 2000, building a Spanish concern. With the number 15 made by Alex de Angelis, a new figure has been used to back the campaign of Gibernau. Gibernau chosen 59, in reference to the year in which her grandfather the Bultaco company produced their first bike.
Began testing for the new team in Valencia. Gibernau fastest lap of 1’34 .451 was set up the Ducati GP9 ONDE 2000, it placed a modest 14th in the 18-time rider, almost 2sec fastest man Casey Stoner (Ducati GP9 using). In Jerez, in its first official test since the return to MotoGP, was ranked 9th among 14 runners, in particular, faster than Niccolo Canepa Ducati Alice and Vitto Guareschi at the factory Ducati.
Gibernau admitted that, at 35, among the current crop of young stars of MotoGP – "I have to work very hard and I’m ready for …". He admitted that he was not back to win races in MotoGP, but rather to enjoy himself on the bike. Gibernau admitted the bike has changed a lot over the two years he had been absent from the sport. He noted that the Ducati is now very competitive with great potential. "Cornering speed is very fast and with 2006 there is a lot more electronics. You should trust her with his eyes nearly closed and still can not. I think the rider should do certain things, while in place should allow the bike to do it.
Valentino Rossi said that he looked forward to renewing his rivalry with the old enemy … "Sorry I did not get there on the track when we tested in Valencia, because I think it is a great thrill for us to be together on the track again after all our great battles. Glad to see you back. We talked a little in summer, when he was thinking back and I’m looking forward to racing it again. " Gibernau suggested that it might try to rebuild his relationship with Rossi, the Italian after falling in recent years in their battles. "With Vale I had fun both on and off the court. Then, life changes, but the experience remains positive. I did some great racing against a man considered perhaps the strongest rider of all time. That to me is a matter of pride. The staff was excellent at a time and then changed, but I have great respect for Valentino. Perhaps now is a good relationship can rebuild again. "
He lost the race at Mugello after breaking bones in his neck in practice at Le Mans. On June 4, confirmed that he will be fit to race at his home track Circuit de Catalunya.
On July 12, 2009, the team announced that Francisco Hernando iban to withdraw from the MotoGP championship due to financial constraints, leaving Gibernau without a walk through the rest of the season 2009.

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