Grand Prix motorcycle legend Angel Nieto has tragically succumbed to injuries sustained in a quad bike accident in Spain last week.
The 70-year-old was riding his quad bike when he was struck by a car in Ibiza last week, suffering severe head trauma.
Placed in an induced comma following surgery last week, Nieto’s condition worsened on Thursday as doctors began the process of waking him.
He passed away surrounded by his family.
Angel Nieto began racing in the world championship in 1964, making his debut on a Derbi in the 50cc Spanish Grand Prix in which he finished a respectable fifth.
The Spaniard scored his first podium in 1967 when he finished second in the 50cc Dutch TT, taking two more in the class the following year in Spain and Belgium.
Nieto secured his first 50cc world title in 1969 after winning the East German and Ulster Grands Prix, as well as scoring podium finishes in Spain, France, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.
He backed this up with a second title in 1970 in the 50cc class and placed second in the 125cc World Championship – contesting both classes with Derbi.
Nieto missed out on the 50cc title in 1971 but took home the 125cc crown, doing so again in 1972 – winning the 50cc championship that year as well.
He would go on to claim another three 50cc title and a further five 125cc crowns with the likes of Minarelli, Bultaco and Garelli.
Nieto hung up his helmet a ’12 plus one’ champion – refusing to call himself a 13-times champion due to his superstitions – and had amassed 90 wins, placing him third in the all-time winners list behind Valentino Rossi (115) and Giacomo Agostini (122).
The Spaniard remained involved in racing as a team manager, famously guiding Emilio Alzamora to the 125cc title in 1999.
In his time in racing, on and off the track, Nieto cemented himself as one of the greatest to grace the two wheel world and he will be sorely missed.
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