Sete Gibernau

Sete Gibernau is a Spanish former motorcycle racer who was a two-time MotoGP World Championship runner-up and one of Valentino Rossi's fiercest rivals during the sport's early 2000s golden era.

Runner-up in the MotoGP World Championship in both 2003 and 2004, Sete Gibernau pushed Valentino Rossi harder than almost any rival of that era, producing some of the sport's most memorable racing across the two seasons that defined his career. He began racing in the 250cc World Championship in 1992, moving up to the premier 500cc class in 1997, and earned his first factory ride with Honda in 1998 as a mid-season replacement for the injured Mick Doohan. Gibernau claimed his maiden Grand Prix victory with Suzuki at a rain-interrupted 2001 Valencia race, and returned to Honda's Movistar-backed satellite squad in 2003, where his career reached its peak. Racing in the shadow of Daijiro Kato's death at the season-opening race, Gibernau produced a string of strong performances to finish runner-up in the MotoGP World Championship in both 2003 and 2004, developing an intense on-track rivalry with Valentino Rossi that produced some of the era's most memorable racing. Gibernau's career was hampered by injuries in his final seasons with Ducati, and he retired in 2006 with nine premier-class victories, 30 podiums, and 13 pole positions, becoming one of only five riders — alongside Rossi, Max Biaggi, Loris Capirossi, and Alex Barros — to have won races in both the 500cc and MotoGP eras. He briefly returned for a comeback season with Ducati in 2009, and later competed in the inaugural MotoE electric racing series in 2019.

Determined, physically strong rider known for close, hard-fought battles at the front of the field

Remembered as one of the toughest and most consistent challengers to Valentino Rossi's dominance during MotoGP's early 2000s golden era

• 9x premier-class Grand Prix winner
• 2x MotoGP World Championship runner-up (2003, 2004)
• One of only five riders to win both 500cc and MotoGP races