View source for Sete Gibernau

{{short description|Spanish motorcycle racer}}
{{family name hatnote|Gibernau|Bultó|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox motorcycle rider
| name                   = Sete Gibernau
| image                  = Sete Gibernau (2009).jpg
| caption                = Gibernau in 2009
| nationality            = Spanish
| birth_name             = Manuel Gibernau Bultó
| birth_date             = {{birth date and age|1972|12|15|df=y}}
| birth_place            = [[Barcelona]], Spain
| Current team           = 
| Bike number            = 
| website                = 
| MotoGP Active years    = {{MGP|2002}}–{{MGP|2006}}, {{MGP|2009}}
| MotoGP Manufacturers   = [[Suzuki]] ({{MGP|2002}}) <br> [[Honda]] ({{MGP|2003}}–{{MGP|2005}}) <br> [[Ducati]] ({{MGP|2006}}, {{MGP|2009}}) 
| MotoGP Championships   = 0
| MotoGP Race Starts     = 83
| MotoGP Race Wins       = 8
| MotoGP Podiums         = 24
| MotoGP Poles           = 12
| MotoGP Fastest laps    = 5
| MotoGP Total Points    = 842
| MotoGP Last season     = 2009
| MotoGP Last position   = 19th (12 pts)
| 500 Active years       = {{MGP|1997}}–{{MGP|2001}}
| 500 Manufacturers      = [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]] ({{MGP|1997}}) <br> [[Honda]] ({{MGP|1998}}–{{MGP|2000}})<br> [[Suzuki]] ({{MGP|2001}})
| 500 Championships      = 0
| 500 Last season        = 2001
| 500 Last position      = 9th (119 pts)
| 500 Race Starts        = 76
| 500 Race Wins          = 1
| 500 Podiums            = 6
| 500 Poles              = 1
| 500 Fastest laps       = 3
| 500 Total Points       = 484
| 250 Active years       = {{MGP|1992}}–{{MGP|1996}}
| 250 Manufacturers      = [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]] ({{MGP|1992}}–{{MGP|1994}}, {{MGP|1996}})<br>[[Honda]] ({{MGP|1995}}–{{MGP|1996}})
| 250 Championships      = 0
| 250 Last season        = 1996
| 250 Last position      = 22nd (20 pts)
| 250 Race Starts        = 19
| 250 Race Wins          = 0
| 250 Podiums            = 0
| 250 Poles              = 0
| 250 Fastest laps       = 0
| 250 Total Points       = 20
| MotoE Active years     = [[2019 MotoE season|2019]]
| MotoE Manufacturers    = [[Energica Motor Company|Energica]]
| MotoE Championships    = 0
| MotoE Race Starts      = 6
| MotoE Race Wins        = 0
| MotoE Podiums          = 0
| MotoE Poles            = 0
| MotoE Fastest laps     = 0
| MotoE Total Points     = 38
| MotoE Last season      = 2019
| MotoE Last position    = 11th (38 pts)
}}

'''Manuel''' "'''Sete'''" '''Gibernau Bultó''' (born 15 December 1972) is a Spanish former professional [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|Grand Prix]] motorcycle [[road racing|road racer]] who is a 9-time 500cc/[[MotoGP]] race winner and a two-time overall runner-up in {{MGP|2003}} and {{MGP|2004}}.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/riders/Sete+Gibernau |title=Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com |website=Motogp.com |access-date=13 December 2010 }}</ref> His racing career spans three different eras of [[motorcycle racing]], beginning with the [[two-stroke]]-dominated period prior to the [[2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2002]] season, and the [[four-stroke]] [[MotoGP]] era. He returned to racing in 2019 to compete in the electric-powered [[MotoE World Cup]]. Gibernau was one of the top riders in Grand Prix racing at the beginning of the MotoGP era.<ref name="Rossi reviews best form of MotoGP career">{{cite web | url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Rossi+reviews+best+form+of+MotoGP+career | title=Rossi reviews best form of MotoGP career | publisher =motogp.com | date = 2008-09-29 | access-date =2008-10-23}}</ref>

==Career==
===Early career===
Gibernau is the grandson of [[Francesc Xavier Bultó|Francisco Xavier "Paco" Bultó]], the founder of the Spanish [[Bultaco]] motorcycle company.<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile">{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st31318.htm |title=Sete Gibernau Profile |website=F1network.net |access-date=13 December 2010 }}</ref> He began his competitive careers in [[observed trials]] competitions.<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/> After trying many different bike categories, in particular those built by his uncle, Gibernau finally turned to road racing in 1990. In [[1992 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1992]], he competed in the Spanish 125cc [[Gilera]] Cup championship and entered into his first Grand Prix race at the [[1992 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|1992 250cc Spanish Grand Prix]].<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/>

===250cc World Championship===
====Yamaha (1992–1994)====
;1992
In 1992, Gibernau participated in his first-ever Grand Prix motorcycle race. In the 250cc class, he participated in the fourth round of the season, the [[1992 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spanish]] Grand Prix. He participated as a wildcard rider for the [[Wayne Rainey]] [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]] team and finished in 27th position.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74151/1/being-sete-gibernau|title=Being Sete Gibernau.|date=June 10, 2004|website=Crash.net}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2002/05/28/sete-gibernau-to-make-his-one-hundredth-gp-start/133392|title=Sete Gibernau to make his one hundredth GP start &#124; MotoGP™|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=Motogp.com}}</ref>

;1993
In 1993, Gibernau participated in another race, this time at the last race of the season at the [[1993 FIM motorcycle Grand Prix|FIM]] round in [[Circuito del Jarama|Jarama]], this time riding for the [[Kenny Roberts]] [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]] team.<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/> He failed to finish the race.

;1994
In 1994, Gibernau would once again participate in a one-off race, and it would once more be the last round of the season, this time at the [[1994 European motorcycle Grand Prix|European]] Grand Prix in [[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|Catalunya]], riding once more for the [[Kenny Roberts]] [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]] team.<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/> He finished in 21st place, over a minute behind race winner [[Max Biaggi]].<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/>

====Honda (1995–1996)====
;1995
In 1995, Gibernau once again participated in a one-off race at the same venue as last year, the [[1995 European motorcycle Grand Prix|European]] Grand Prix in [[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|Catalunya]]. This time he rode for the [[Pons Racing|Honda Pons]] team, run by Spanish former world champion [[Sito Pons]]. He would not finish the race.<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/>

====Return to Yamaha (1996)====
;1996
Gibernau started his full-time Grand Prix career in 1996, riding a [[Honda NSR250]] for the Axo Honda team.<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/> He retired at the opening round in [[1996 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysia]], and failed to score any points in the following two races in [[1996 Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix|Indonesia]] and [[1996 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]], finishing 17th and 20th.

At round four in [[1996 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]], Gibernau scored his first world championship points with an 11th-place finish. At the [[1996 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italian]] GP, he finished 24th and once again failed to score any points.

Gibernau retired in two consecutive races—[[1996 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]] and the [[1996 Dutch TT|Netherlands]]—before finishing in 19th place in [[1996 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]], once more outside of the points. At the [[1996 British motorcycle Grand Prix|British]] round however, Gibernau finished 11th for the second time this season to score points yet again. In [[1996 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix|Austria]], his 18th-place finish meant he finished outside the points yet again, but he recovered well by scoring points for the third time in his rookie season by finishing 14th at the [[1996 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]] race. In [[1996 City of Imola motorcycle Grand Prix|Imola]], he finished outside of the points with an 18th-place finish.

With three races left to go, he was hired by former world champion [[Wayne Rainey]]'s Yamaha team to replace [[Tetsuya Harada]].<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/> He retired from the [[1996 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalan]] round, but finished in eighth place at the penultimate round of the season in [[1996 Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix|Brazil]]—his highest classification of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://global.yamaha-motor.com/race/wgp-50th/race_archive/season1990_99/1996/|title=1996 - Racing Information &#124; Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.|website=Global.yamaha-motor.com}}</ref> At the final race in [[1996 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australia]], Gibernau retired for the fifth time this season.

Gibernau finished 22nd in the championship with 20 points, 254 points behind the champion Max Biaggi and 248 points behind runner-up Ralf Waldmann.

===500cc World Championship===
====Yamaha (1997)====
;1997
After a rollercoaster rookie season in 1996, Gibernau moved up to the 500cc class with the official Team Rainey team for the 1997 season.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

In his first ever 500cc race, Gibernau finished in ninth place at the [[1997 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysian]] round. In [[1997 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]], he recorded his first retirement, but bounced back well to score two consecutive ninth-place finishes in [[1997 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]] and [[1997 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italy]].

At the [[1997 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix|Austrian]] race, Gibernau retired for the second time this season. In [[1997 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]], he finished 13th but a 19th-place finish at the next round in the [[1997 Dutch TT|Netherlands]] meant that he failed to score any points. After Assen, Gibernau went back to scoring points by finishing in 11th at [[1997 City of Imola motorcycle Grand Prix|Imola]] and seventh in [[1997 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]]—his then highest finish of the year, as well as his career.

The good fortunes would end after the German round for Gibernau, with four consecutive retirements at the [[1997 Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix|Rio de Janeiro]], [[1997 British motorcycle Grand Prix|British]], [[1997 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]] and [[1997 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalan]] grands prix. However, he finished the season on a high note by finishing the last two races of the season in the points, by taking eighth in [[1997 Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix|Indonesia]] and sixth in [[1997 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australia]], beating his best-ever performance in Germany earlier in the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://global.yamaha-motor.com/race/wgp-50th/race_archive/riders/sete_gibernau/|title=Sete Gibernau - Racing Information &#124; Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.|website=Global.yamaha-motor.com}}</ref>

Gibernau finished 13th in the championship with 56 points, 284 points behind the champion Mick Doohan and 141 points behind runner-up Tadayuki Okada.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/racer/1918/sete-gibernau|title=Sete Gibernau|date=March 16, 2009|website=Crash.net}}</ref>

====Honda (1998–2000)====
;1998
With a good performance in 1997, Gibernau was brought to Honda to replace the unfortunate [[Takuma Aoki]], who became paralysed below the waist after a crash in winter testing, on the privateer [[Honda NSR500V]] [[v-twin]] motorcycle.<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/>

Gibernau started the season off well by finishing in tenth at the opening round in [[1998 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]]. In [[1998 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysia]] however, he would retire from the race after an accident, before finishing in the points for the next three races: 12th in [[1998 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]], 14th in [[1998 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italy]] and 10th in [[1998 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]].

At round six of the season in [[1998 Madrid motorcycle Grand Prix|Madrid]], ridden on the [[Circuito del Jarama|Jarama]] circuit, Gibernau took his first ever podium spot. Despite his bike lacking the power of the four cylinder bikes used by the [[Factory backed|factory]] [[Honda Racing Corporation|Honda]] team, he still managed to score a podium place in the form of third place, after fighting hard with [[Norifumi Abe]] and fellow Spaniard [[Carlos Checa]], who went on to win the race.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/><ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1998/06/15/portada/897861602_850215.html|title=La victoria de Checa culmina la fiesta en el Jarama|date=June 15, 1998|work=El País }}</ref>

After finishing third in Jarama, retired in the next three races held in the [[1998 Dutch TT|Netherlands]], [[1998 British motorcycle Grand Prix|Great Britain]] and [[1998 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]], but recovered well and finished inside the top ten at the next three consecutive races—sixth in the [[1998 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]], eighth in [[1998 City of Imola motorcycle Grand Prix|Imola]] and fourth in [[1998 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]]. At the penultimate round of the season in [[1998 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australia]], Gibernau would crash out of the race after just two laps and finished the last race of the season in [[1998 Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix|Argentina]] in ninth.

Gibernau finished 11th in the championship with 72 points, 188 points behind the champion Mick Doohan and 136 points behind runner-up Max Biaggi.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/> Gibernau also teamed up with fellow Honda rider [[Alex Barros]] to finish second in the prestigious [[Suzuka 8 Hours]] [[Endurance World Championship|endurance race]] held in Japan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motoracing-japan.com/result/spl/988h.html |title=Suzuka 8 Hours |website=Motoracing-japan.com |access-date=13 December 2010 |archive-date=4 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804103140/http://www.motoracing-japan.com/result/spl/988h.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

;1999
[[File:Tadayuki Okada, Àlex Crivillé and Sete Gibernau 1999 Catalunya.jpeg|thumb|Gibernau (pictured on the right) celebrating on the podium after finishing third at the [[1999 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|1999 Catalan Grand Prix]].]]

In 1999, Gibernau remained with the Repsol Honda team and started off on the Honda NSR500V.

At the opening round in [[1999 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysia]], Gibernau would start his season off in good form by finishing tenth at the new [[Sepang International Circuit|Sepang]] circuit. At the next race in [[1999 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]], he improved his result, finishing in fifth place.

When five-time 500cc world champion [[Mick Doohan]] broke his leg in several places, but also his collarbone and wrist when he crashed during a very wet qualifying session at the [[1999 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spanish]] Grand Prix.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/doohans-career-comes-to-the-end-741504.html|title=Doohan's career comes to the end|date=December 14, 1999|newspaper=[[The Independent]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/08/mickup/|title=Mick Doohan Update|date=August 13, 1999}}</ref> Gibernau replaced him from this round onwards when Doohan subsequently announced his retirement.<ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor-news/micks-bike-bequeathed-to-gibernau-20100824-13lhk.html |title=Mick's bike bequeathed to Gibernau |website=News.drive.com.au |access-date=14 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722054139/http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor-news/micks-bike-bequeathed-to-gibernau-20100824-13lhk.html |archive-date=22 July 2011 }}</ref>

Now competing with the top-tier [[Honda NSR500]] four cylinder race bike, he took full advantage and immediately scored his first third-place podium at only his third round of the season in [[1999 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]]. He continued this good run by finishing just off the podium in fourth at the next round in [[1999 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]] and sixth in [[1999 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italy]].

Gibernau continued to impress when he took his first ever fastest lap and scored his second podium of the season in [[1999 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]] and then repeated the feat at the next round in the [[1999 Dutch TT|Netherlands]], finishing both races in third position and making this his first ever back-to-back podium finish streak. After his great run of results, Gibernau did not participate in the [[1999 British motorcycle Grand Prix|British]] round.

After his DNS in Donington Park, Gibernau scored another consistent set of points in the following five races—ninth in [[1999 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]], tenth in the [[1999 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/08/czechgp/|title=Okada Takes Czech 500 GP; Rossi Wins 250 Race|date=August 22, 1999}}</ref> and [[1999 City of Imola motorcycle Grand Prix|Imola]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/09/imolagprace/|title=Criville Wins 500 GP at Imola; Capirossi First in 250 GP|date=September 5, 1999}}</ref> ninth again in [[1999 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencia]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/09/valencgprace/|title=Laconi (500) and Ukawa (250) Victorious at Valencia GP|date=September 19, 1999}}</ref> and sixth in [[1999 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australia]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/phillipgpfin/|title=Okada Wins 500 GP Race at Phillip Island, Australia; Rossi Takes 250 GP|date=October 3, 1999}}</ref> Sixth was also the time Gibernau qualified at the Phillip Island circuit on Saturday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/philipgp/|title=Kenny Roberts Smokes 'Em in Qualifying for Australian 500 GP; McWilliams on Pole for 250 GP; Gobert Surprisingly Quick|date=October 2, 1999}}</ref>

His best result of the season came at the inaugural [[1999 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|South African]] race. On Saturday, Gibernau qualified within the top five by finishing fourth and third in the first and second qualifying sessions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/soagppre/|title=Kenny Roberts Fastest in Early Qualifying for South African 500 GP (Yes, Gobert is Back for More)|date=October 8, 1999}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/soagpqual/|title=South African GP Pole to Okada (500cc) and Capirossi (250cc)|date=October 9, 1999}}</ref> On Sunday, he rode a strong race to finish ahead of championship contenders [[Àlex Crivillé]] and [[Tadayuki Okada]] and finish in second place behind race winner [[Max Biaggi]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/soagpfin/|title=Biaggi (500cc) and Rossi (250cc) Win at South African GP|date=October 10, 1999}}</ref> He also picked up his-second fastest lap of his career.

After finishing second at Welkom, Gibernau qualified in second on Saturday at the penultimate round in [[1999 Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix|Rio de Janeiro]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/riogp/|title=Roberts (500) and Jacque (250) on Pole in Rio|date=October 23, 1999}}</ref> On Sunday, he struggled and lost to Biaggi, title contender [[Kenny Roberts Jr.]] and [[Alex Barros]] to finish fifth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/riogpfin/|title=Abe Wins Rio 500 GP, While Criville Takes Championship; Rossi Both Race Winner and Champion in 250's|date=October 24, 1999}}</ref> At the final round of the season in [[1999 Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix|Argentina]], Gibernau qualified outside of the top ten on Saturday but recovered well to finish sixth on Sunday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/argengpfin/|title=Roberts Wins 500 GP at Buenos Aires; 250 Race Goes to Jacque|date=October 31, 1999}}</ref>

Gibernau finished fifth in the championship with 165 points, 102 points behind the champion and Repsol Honda teammate Àlex Crivillé and 55 points behind runner-up Kenny Roberts Jr.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

;2000
After a strong 1999 season, expectations for Gibernau to perform better were high in 2000.

Initially, he started off well when he took his first ever pole position at the season opener in [[2000 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|South Africa]] on Saturday, beating 1999 runner-up [[Kenny Roberts Jr.]] and champion and fellow Repsol Honda teammate [[Àlex Crivillé]] in the process.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/03/18march00/|title=Gibernau (500) and Nakano (250) on Pole for South African Grand Prix|date=March 18, 2000}}</ref> However, Gibernau would retire from the race on Sunday which was won by the Australian [[Garry McCoy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/03/19march00GP/|title=Australian Garry McCoy Wins Opening Round of 500 GP in South Africa; Shinya Nakano Takes 250 GP|date=March 19, 2000}}</ref> In [[2000 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysia]], Gibernau would perform better. He qualified outside of the top 10 on Saturday<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/04/01april00gp/|title=Kenny Roberts on Pole for Malaysian Grand Prix|date=April 1, 2000}}</ref> but bounced back on Sunday to finish in a respectable seventh position, scoring his first points of the year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/04/02april00gp/|title=Roberts Victorious in Rain-Interrupted Malaysian 500 GP|date=April 2, 2000}}</ref>

However, bad luck would continue to plague Gibernau at the next two rounds. He crashed out of the [[2000 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japanese]] GP and did the same in [[2000 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]]. This was his first back-to-back double DNF since 1998. After the bad results in Suzuka and Jerez, Gibernau went on to score points again at the [[2000 French motorcycle Grand Prix|French]] and [[2000 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italian]] rounds when he finished 15th and 10th.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/05/28may00gp/|title=Loris Capirossi Wins Wild 500 GP at Mugello|date=May 28, 2000}}</ref>

At round seven in [[2000 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]], Gibernau retired for the fourth consecutive time this season. On Saturday, in tenth position, he barely qualified.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/06/10june00gpqualifying/|title=Barros (500) and Nakano (250) on Pole for Catalunya GP|date=June 10, 2000}}</ref> but would crash out of the race once again on Sunday on a wet and slippery track.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/06/11june00gp/|title=Roberts (500) and Jacque (250) Victorious at Catalunya GP|date=June 11, 2000}}</ref> At the next four races, things would improve for Gibernau. He finished seventh in the [[2000 Dutch TT|Netherlands]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/06/24june00fimgpfinal/|title=Barros (500) and Ukawa (250) Win Assen GP|date=June 24, 2000}}</ref> eighth in [[2000 British motorcycle Grand Prix|Great Britain]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/07/09july00fimgpfinal/|title=Rossi (500) and Waldmann (250) Win Donnington GP|date=July 9, 2000}}</ref> and [[2000 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/07/23july00finalgermangp/|title=Barros (500) and Jacque (250) Take Victory at German GP|date=July 23, 2000}}</ref> and sixth in the [[2000 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/08/20aug00finalbrnogp/|title=Biaggi (500) and Nakano (250) Victorious at Brno GP|date=August 20, 2000}}</ref>

At the inaugural GP in [[2000 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|Portugal]], Gibernau retired for the fifth time this season when he crashed out of the race. In the next three races, Gibernau would again bounce back from bad fortunes. At the [[2000 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencian Community]] round, he qualified ninth on Saturday<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/09/16sept00qualifyvalenciagp/|title=Kenny Roberts, Jr. (500) and Olivier Jacque (250) on Pole for Valencia Grand Prix|date=September 16, 2000}}</ref> and finished eighth on Sunday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/09/17sept00finalvalenciagp/|title=McCoy (500) and Nakano (250) Victorious at Valencia GP|date=September 17, 2000}}</ref> In [[2000 Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix|Rio de Janeiro]], Gibernau finished seventh<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2000/10/07oct00finalriogp/|title=Roberts Clinches 500 Title; Rossi (500) and Katoh (250) Take Race Victory at Rio|date=October 7, 2000}}</ref> and at the inaugural [[2000 Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix|Pacific]] Grand Prix, he finished 12th. At the final round of the season—the [[2000 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australian]] race—Gibernau retired for the sixth time this season when he stopped in the pits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/news/australia-gp-michelin-race-report/55050/|title=Australia GP Michelin /race report|website=Motorsport.com}}</ref>

Gibernau finished 15th in the championship with 72 points, 186 points behind the champion Kenny Roberts Jr. and 137 points behind runner-up Valentino Rossi.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

After the disappointing and struggling season Gibernau had in 2000, the Repsol Honda team decided to drop both [[Tadayuki Okada]] and him, to which he signed with the factory [[Suzuki MotoGP]] team for the 2001 season, replacing [[Nobuatsu Aoki]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/68951/1/gibernau-signs-for-suzuki|title=Gibernau signs for Suzuki.|date=September 6, 2000|website=Crash.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.silver-bullet.co.nz/news.php?id=932|title=Silver-Bullet News: Gibernau signs with Movistar Suzuki & Roberts for 2001|website=Silver-bullet.co.nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motorsport.com/motogp/news/team-repsol-ypf-honda-without-sete-gibernau-in-2001/52231/?nrt=112|title=Team Repsol YPF Honda without Sete Gibernau in 2001|website=Motorsport.com}}</ref>

====Suzuki (2001)====
;2001
After his switch from Honda to Suzuki, Gibernau continued to struggle with the underperforming [[Suzuki RGV500|RGV500]] machine compared to the stronger Honda and Yamaha bikes.

At the opening round in [[2001 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]], Gibernau retired after crashing out of the race. After his misfortunes in Suzuka, Gibernau consistently finished in the points on the next nine GPs—tenth in [[2001 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|South Africa]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/04/22april01finalsouthafricagp/|title=Rossi (500) and Katoh (250) Take South African GP|date=April 22, 2001}}</ref> and [[2001 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/05/06may01finaljerezgp/|title=Rossi (500) and Katoh (250) Continue Winning Ways at Jerez GP|date=May 6, 2001}}</ref> ninth in [[2001 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/05/20may01finalfrancegp/|title=Biaggi (500) and Katoh (250) Victorious at French GP|date=May 20, 2001}}</ref> sixth in [[2001 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italy]], fifth in [[2001 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/17june01catalunyagp/|title=Rossi (500) and Katoh (250) Victorious at Catalunya GP|date=June 17, 2001}}</ref> ninth on Saturday qualifying and seventh on Sunday in the [[2001 Dutch TT|Netherlands]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/29june01assenqualgp/|title=Capirossi (500) and Harada (250) on Pole for Dutch GP|date=June 29, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/30june01assenfinalgp/|title=Biaggi (500) and McWilliams (250) Winners at Assen GP|date=June 30, 2001}}</ref> 11th in [[2001 British motorcycle Grand Prix|Great Britain]], tenth in [[2001 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]] and eighth in the [[2001 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]].

At the [[2001 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|Portuguese]] round, Gibernau retired for the second time this season. When [[Norifumi Abe]] crashed, he collected [[Àlex Crivillé]], [[Alex Barros]] and Gibernau in the process.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/69906/1/rossi-rules-in-estoril-biaggi-crashes-again|title=Rossi rules in Estoril - Biaggi crashes again.|date=September 9, 2001|website=Crash.net}}</ref> However, Gibernau would surprise everyone when he won the [[2001 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencian Community]] race. Before the start of the Grand Prix, rain made the track very wet, but once the rain stopped and temperatures started to increase again, the circuit started to dry up. However, the race direction declared the race to be a "wet race", meaning that the race would not be stopped in the event of more rain. With the track drying up, there would be a big chance that the circuit would eventually be too dry for wet tyres.
Initially, all the riders opted to use the wet tyres, but Gibernau chose to use the slick tyres instead, as did his teammate [[Kenny Roberts Jr.]] and several others. As the race went on, Rossi—who had built up a commanding four-second lead at one point—was quickly swallowed up as his gamble to use the wet tyres did not pay off and was overtaken by Gibernau, Roberts and [[Alex Barros]], who was riding with an intermediate front and a slick rear tyre. Both Gibernau and Barros battled hard for the lead of the race, Gibernau taking the lead from Rossi on lap eight and holding it until Barros pushed past on lap 13. The Spaniard and the Brazilian swapped places on multiple occasions on lap 20, until Sete made the best use of his slick tyres on a drying track and ducked underneath Barros on lap 29 to retake the lead for the final time. Barros, whose intermediate front tyre was completely ruined, was all over the back of Gibernau on the final lap of the race but could not overtake him, allowing Gibernau to win his first ever 500cc race in front of more than 120.000 Spanish fans.<ref>{{cite web|website=Crash.net|url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/69973/1/sete-wins-first-500-gp.html|title=   Sete wins first 500 GP!  |date=23 September 2001|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2001/09/23/sete-gibernau-triumphant-in-valencia-in-chaotic-500-race/131792|title=Sete Gibernau triumphant in Valencia in chaotic 500 race &#124; MotoGP™|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=Motogp.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2001/09/23/gibernau-takes-first-career-win-in-valencia-katoh-and-poggiali-also-victorious/131813|title=Gibernau takes first career win in Valencia, Katoh and Poggiali also victorious &#124; MotoGP™|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=Motogp.com}}</ref> He also scored his third fastest lap of his career.

After scoring his first ever win, Gibernau continued to score consistent points in the final four rounds of the season—ninth in the [[2001 Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix|Pacific]] and [[2001 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australia]], eighth in [[2001 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysia]] and 12th at the final race in [[2001 Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix|Rio de Janeiro]].

Gibernau finished ninth in the championship with 119 points, 206 points behind the champion Valentino Rossi and 100 points behind runner-up Max Biaggi.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

===MotoGP World Championship===
====Suzuki (2002)====
;2002

[[File:Sete Gibernau 2002 Donington Park.jpg|thumb|Gibernau at the [[2002 British motorcycle Grand Prix|2002 British Grand Prix]].]]

The [[2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2002]] season would mark the beginning of the [[MotoGP]] era as, rule-changes instituted by the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|F.I.M.]] saw the introduction of four-stroke machines of up to 990 cubic centimeters in engine capacity. Suzuki's new [[Suzuki GSV-R|GSV-R]] would lag behind those of its competitors with only [[Akira Ryo]] taking a podium at the season opening race in [[2002 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]].

Despite starting strong, setting multiple fastest laps and climbing up to third position, he lost the front end of his bike and crashed out of contention on lap 12.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/70464/1/rossi-wins-first-motogp-race|title=Rossi wins first MotoGP race.|date=April 7, 2002|website=Crash.net}}</ref> At the following round in [[2002 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|South Africa]], he finished in 16th place and failed to score any points since the [[1997 Dutch TT]] in his 250cc days. Gibernau initially started well, moving up from tenth to fifth on the opening lap after a great start, but a trip into the gravel made him lose a lot of time, as well as various positions which he never managed to recover.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/70516/1/ukawa-takes-his-first-win-in-motogp-class|title=Ukawa takes his first win in MotoGP class.|date=April 21, 2002|website=Crash.net}}</ref> At the next two races in [[2002 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]] and [[2002 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]], Gibernau finished in the points for the first time by finishing in ninth and 12th position.

In [[2002 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italy]], [[2002 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]] and the [[2002 Dutch TT|Netherlands]], Gibernau suffered three consecutive retirements. In Catalunya, he crashed out of the race at turn one when he had just started his sixth lap. He was in fifth position at the time, ahead of his teammate Roberts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/70716/1/is-there-no-stopping-rossi|title=Is there no stopping Rossi?|date=June 16, 2002|website=Crash.net}}</ref> In Assen, Gibernau crashed out of the race at the final right-left chicanes in the final sector.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/70775/1/rossi-wins-but-barros-is-best|title=Rossi wins but Barros is best.|date=June 29, 2002|website=Crash.net}}</ref> At the [[2002 British motorcycle Grand Prix|British]] round, Gibernau went back to scoring points when he finished in sixth place, but retired once again at the [[2002 German motorcycle Grand Prix|German]] round when he crashed out. He achieved his best result of the season when he took fourth place at the [[2002 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]] GP.

Gibernau came very close to his first victory of the season in [[2002 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|Portugal]]. In the morning, heavy rain soaked the Estoril track for all of the three classes. Gibernau had only qualified ninth on Saturday, but knew his underpowered [[Suzuki GSV-R]] had a fighting chance in the rain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/71035/1/sete-fast-in-speed-slow-in-time|title=Sete fast in speed - slow in time!|date=September 7, 2002|website=Crash.net}}</ref> When the red lights went out on Sunday, he shot up from ninth to first on the opening lap after a great start, with Rossi, Roberts and Ukawa following him on lap four.

With Gibernau becoming more and more comfortable with the conditions, he set fastest lap after fastest lap and increased his gap to 3.5 seconds on lap 10. With Checa—who had fought his way back up to second—and Rossi trying to close the gap (which was nearly six seconds at one point) in the closing stages of the race, Gibernau had begun to pin back his throttle a little bit more at every corner and succeeded to halt the assault of the Honda riders by setting a new fastest lap of his own to keep the gap stable at around five seconds.

With Rossi and Gibernau evenly matched for much of the race, Rossi closed in slowly to get within three seconds of Gibernau but realised that he could not win the race by closing in alone. He decided that the only way for him to win would be to force Gibernau into a mistake, which arrived on lap 25 when the rear of the number #15's factory Suzuki swung round on the entry to the chicane, throwing Gibernau hard onto the tarmac before slowly sliding into the gravel with four laps to go. It looked like he could remount to finish the race, but the fall—combined with his disappointment—meant that he lay motionless in the gravel. Rossi went on to win the race, with Checa second and Ukawa in third.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st12425.php |title=Sete Gibernau is rainmaster, but Rossi wins |website=F1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/71042/1/sete-suffers-as-rossi-sings-in-estoril-rain|title=Sete suffers as Rossi sings in Estoril rain.|date=September 8, 2002|website=Crash.net}}</ref>

At the following round in [[2002 Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix|Rio de Janeiro]], Gibernau went on to score points again by finishing in eighth place, before he retired for the seventh time this season at the [[2002 Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix|Pacific]] GP, this time due to engine issues when the exhaust of his factory Suzuki stopped in a cloud of smoke.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/71202/1/barros-wins-battle-of-the-pacific|title=Barros wins battle of the Pacific!|date=October 6, 2002|website=Crash.net}}</ref> Gibernau would finish the last three races of the season on a more positive note, finishing the [[2002 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysian]], [[2002 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australian]] and [[2002 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencian Community]] rounds in the points—namely 14th, 12th and 13th.

Gibernau finished 16th in the championship with 51 points, 304 points behind the champion Valentino Rossi and 164 points behind runner-up Max Biaggi.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

====Honda (2003–2005)====
;2003
For the 2003 season, Gibernau moved to the Honda [[Gresini Racing]] team along with his sponsor [[Telefónica]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/71436/1/gibernau-joins-telefonica-at-gresini-honda|title=Gibernau joins Telefonica at Gresini Honda.|date=November 2, 2002|website=Crash}}</ref> riding the five-cylinder [[Honda RC211V]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2002/11/02/sete-gibernau-signs-for-honda-gresini/134103|title=Sete Gibernau signs for Honda Gresini &#124; MotoGP™|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=Motogp.com}}</ref><ref name="Sete Gibernau Profile"/>

At the season-opening round in [[2003 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]], Gibernau finished fourth. Tragically, his Japanese teammate [[Daijiro Kato]] died on the same race after he collided with the barriers at the Casio Triangle chicane at high speed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/2932989.stm |title=Kato dies from crash injuries |publisher=BBC |access-date=13 December 2010 |date=19 April 2003}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/feature/73588/1/kato-inquiry-racing-accident-barriers-to-blame|title=Kato inquiry: Racing accident, barriers to blame.|date=November 28, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref>

The tragedy seemed to inspire the notoriously temperamental and spiritual Gibernau. After being given Kato's full works spec bike<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/72107/1/gibernau-gets-katos-bike-kiyonari-joins-motogp|title=Gibernau gets Kato's bike, Kiyonari joins MotoGP.|date=May 8, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref> and riding with Kato's #74 on the bike alongside his traditional #15, Gibernau took his first-ever MotoGP pole position on Saturday<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2003/04/26/gibernau-takes-emotional-pole-in-name-of-kato/134697|title=Gibernau takes emotional pole in name of Kato &#124; MotoGP™|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=Motogp.com}}</ref> and won at only his second race of the season on Sunday in [[2003 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|South Africa]], holding off the late-charging Factory Honda of [[Valentino Rossi]] on the last five laps to claim an emotional win in dedication of Kato.<ref>{{cite web|website=Crash.net|url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/72046/1/gibernau-takes-dream-win.html|title=  Gibernau takes dream win! |date=21 April 2003|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2003/04/27/gibernau-holds-off-rampant-rossi-to-claim-victory-in-kato-s-honour/134708|title=Gibernau holds off rampant Rossi to claim victory in Kato's honour &#124; MotoGP™|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=Motogp.com}}</ref>

After his win at [[Phakisa Freeway|Welkom]], Gibernau's first retirement arrived at the [[2003 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spanish]] round. Comfortable in second position, he lost the rear of his bike at turn two on lap eight and slid into the gravel trap. He was so upset that he almost had to be carried from the gravel trap in the process.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/72162/1/rossi-wins-slide-spectacular|title=Rossi wins slide spectacular!|date=May 11, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref>

After the disappointment in Jerez, Gibernau won his second race of the season in [[2003 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]]. The race started off dry initially but was stopped due to sudden heavy which had started to fall on the start/finish straight on lap fifteen, with [[Valentino Rossi]] holding a three-second lead over [[Alex Barros]], [[Tohru Ukawa]], [[Max Biaggi]] and Gibernau. The race was restarted twenty minutes later for 13 laps with the grid order determined by the running order after the suspension (Rossi, Barros, Ukawa, Biaggi, Gibernau, Haga and Melandri).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/72281/1/rain-interrupts-french-grand-prix|title=Rain interrupts French Grand Prix.|date=May 25, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref> With the rain stopping short after and confusion reigning supreme, all the frontrunners bar Biaggi chose a full-wet setup for this period of the race.

With Biaggi and Ukawa going into the pits before the race restarted due to a bad tyre choice and suspension problems, Gibernau moved up from fifth to third before the restart even took place. As the lights went out, Barros overtook Rossi on the first lap of the restarted race, with Gibernau doing likewise on lap two, demoting Rossi to third whilst the trio pulled away from fourth place [[Noriyuki Haga]] at around four seconds per lap. Rossi and Gibernau traded second place on a few occasions with five laps to go, with Gibernau surprising leader Barros on lap nine by overtaking him before the braking area to move up into the lead, with Rossi doing likewise on the final turn to move up into second place. On the penultimate lap, Rossi then overtook Gibernau on the same section - the final two corners of the circuit - where he overtook Barros a lap earlier, but Gibernau replied by tucking in right behind Rossi and overtaking him midway on the final lap. Rossi immediately responded with an outbraking maneuver but ran wide, allowing Gibernau to retake the position. Rossi slotted behind Gibernau to try a final overtake attempt at the last two corners of the circuit, but when Rossi ran wide whilst trying to make the corners whilst also trying to overtake Gibernau and failed to stick to the racing line, Gibernau managed to get a slightly better exit to trail Rossi's Factory Honda by just +0.165 seconds to the line and win the race. After the race, Gibernau thanked Rossi and Barros for the great, clean racing during the interviews.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/72282/1/sete-storms-two-part-thriller|title=Sete storms two-part thriller.|date=May 25, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2003/05/26/sete-gibernau-reflects-on-a-good-days-work-for-himself-and-spain-at-le-mans/134843|title=Sete Gibernau reflects on a good days' work for himself and Spain at Le Mans &#124; MotoGP™|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=Motogp.com}}</ref>

At the following round in [[2003 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italy]], Gibernau finished a lowly seventh place but bounced back in [[2003 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]] to take third place, despite losing out on second after a late-charging Rossi overtook him on the penultimate lap.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/72395/1/rossi-triumphs-in-all-italian-showdown|title=Rossi triumphs in all-Italian showdown.|date=June 8, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/72475/1/capirossi-crowned-king-of-catalunya|title=Capirossi crowned king of Catalunya.|date=June 15, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref>

At the [[2003 Dutch TT|Dutch]] round, Sete took his first dominant win and third overall win of the season when he launched from his second row start to overtake both Rossi and Biaggi to take the lead through the old, fast turn one kink. Confusion reigned supreme before the race had even started, due to the post warm-up downpour and the track drying up not long after, forcing the riders to gamble on their tyres and set-ups. Not long before the start of the race however, the race was declared 'dry', meaning that, in the event of more rain, the race would be stopped and restarted. As the riders made their way around the start/finish line on the formation lap, it started to rain once more, delaying the start for twenty minutes and now declaring the race as 'wet', meaning that all the riders had to start on a wet weather set-up.

When the lights went out and Gibernau overtook the battling duo of Rossi and Biaggi at the start, both Gibernau and Biaggi left the rest of the pack behind as they had a better pace, overtaking each other for the lead on a few occasions and setting new lap records with each passing lap. Biaggi led the race at the start of lap four, but Gibernau made his move on the run-up to turn one, briefly making contact before Biaggi let Gibernau through into the lead. Exactly at the halfway point of the race, both riders (who were just 0.500 seconds apart) had to deal with backmarkers. Gibernau managed to overtake the Kawasaki of [[Garry McCoy]] but Biaggi had troubles with McCoy nearly high-siding off his bike whilst trying to make way for the "Roman Emperor". Biaggi would make up some of the lost time, but by lap eleven Gibernau started to pull a real gap, being two seconds faster than anyone else on the track. Eventually, Gibernau crossed the line +10.111 ahead of second place Biaggi to score yet another win for his team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/72593/1/sete-escapes-to-victory|title=Sete escapes to victory!|date=June 28, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref> He also took his first-ever fastest lap in the MotoGP class.

Gibernau's good form continued when he finished second in [[2003 British motorcycle Grand Prix|Great Britain]] and won his fourth race of the season in [[2003 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]]. On Saturday, Gibernau only managed to qualify in fifth place,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/results/72813/1/final-qualifying-times-sachsenring|title=Final qualifying times - Sachsenring.|date=July 26, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref> but come race day he moved up one spot on the opening lap. Not long after, Gibernau also passed the Ducati's of [[Troy Bayliss]] and [[Loris Capirossi]] and went on the hunt to catch race leader Rossi, closing the 2.5-second gap with each passing lap. After staying behind and studying his moves, Gibernau made a pass on lap twenty for the lead. With Rossi seemingly wanting him to lead, he let him through, only to then shadow him in the following laps and make almost continuous dummy overtaking maneuvers to unsettle Gibernau. This game of cat-and-mouse continued until the penultimate lap, when Gibernau tried to escape, but Rossi responded by staying close to him, beginning the last lap with just 0.23 seconds separating the two. Gibernau was leading for most of the lap, until Rossi tried to outbrake Gibernau on the downhill left-hander and took a defensive line into the final turn, but the bike unsettled a bit whilst doing so. In contrast, Gibernau took a wider line on the outside of the corner, using all of the apex and cutting back to the inside of Rossi, with the pair racing uphill to the finish line, the two crossing the finish line neck and neck but with Gibernau winning the race by just +0.060 seconds due to a slightly better exit from the final corner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/72823/1/gibernau-defeats-rossi-in-photo-finish|title=Gibernau defeats Rossi in photo finish.|date=July 27, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2003/07/27/gibernau-defeats-rossi-in-sizzling-german-duel/135121|title=Gibernau defeats Rossi in sizzling German duel &#124; MotoGP™|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=Motogp.com}}</ref> Gibernau called this ''"one of the best races of my life"''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74342/1/sete-sachsenring-2003-one-of-my-best|title=Sete: Sachsenring 2003 one of my best.|date=July 14, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref>

After his win at the [[Sachsenring]], Gibernau achieved a string of second and fourth-place results. He finished second in the [[2003 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]], losing out on victory by just +0.042 seconds after another fierce last-lap battle - similar to the one in Germany - with Valentino Rossi,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/72936/1/rossi-wins-titanic-brno-battle|title=Rossi wins titanic Brno battle.|date=August 17, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref> fourth in [[2003 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|Portugal]], narrowly losing out on third place, second again in [[2003 Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix|Rio de Janeiro]], fourth again in the [[2003 Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix|Pacific]], second once again in [[2003 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysia]], fourth once again in [[2003 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australia]] and finally second once more at the final race of the season in [[2003 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencia]], battling with Rossi throughout the race once more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/73503/1/rossi-ends-season-with-valencia-victory|title=Rossi ends season with Valencia victory.|date=November 2, 2003|website=Crash}}</ref>

Gibernau finished second in the championship with 277 points, 80 points behind the champion Valentino Rossi.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/> Gibernau won four races, took five second-place finishes and one third-place finish. Rossi has described 2003 in his career as ''"the year of Gibernau, it was hard until the end."''<ref name="Rossi reviews best form of MotoGP career"/>

;2004
[[File:Honda RC211V 2004 Sete Gibernau.jpg|250 px|thumb|The [[Honda RC211V]] used by Gibernau in the [[2004 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2004]] season.]]
There was much anticipation surrounding the 2004 championship as Valentino Rossi had made a shock move to the [[Yamaha Motor Racing|Factory Yamaha]] team and, Gibernau's preseason and early season speed would indicate he was in a good position to win the title.

With the traditional first race of the season at [[Suzuka Circuit|Suzuka]] off the list due to safety considerations following the fatal accident of [[Daijiro Kato]], the 2004 season started at [[Phakisa Freeway|Welkom]] in South Africa. On Saturday, Gibernau qualified in second place - just 0.035 seconds behind Rossi - and ended the race in a distant third place after [[Valentino Rossi]] and [[Max Biaggi]] had a fierce battle for the win.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/73897/1/rossi-stays-perfect-with-welkom-pole|title=Rossi stays perfect with Welkom pole.|date=April 17, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/73908/1/rossi-yamaha-and-motogp-win-in-africa|title=Rossi, Yamaha and MotoGP win in Africa.|date=April 18, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref>

At round two of the season in [[2004 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]], Gibernau took his first win of the year in a wet-weather race. Having qualified his Gresini Honda in second place behind Rossi on Saturday,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/73967/1/rain-hands-rossi-pole|title=Rain hands Rossi pole.|date=May 1, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> Gibernau - along with Biaggi - would pass a quickly fading Rossi, who had a lack of pace on the wet Jerez track. Around the halfway point, Biaggi - who was shadowing Gibernau since the first lap - passed him for the lead, only to run wide and hand the position back to the Spaniard one lap later. After his mistake, Biaggi continued to follow Gibernau as the pair rode away from third place [[Alex Barros]], building up a 27-second lead with eight laps to go.
With five laps to go, Gibernau upped the pace and created one-second gap. Biaggi tried to respond but when the last lap started, the gap had increased to two seconds. Gibernau crossed the line +5.452 seconds ahead of Biaggi to score an emotional home victory.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/73982/1/sete-shines-through-spanish-rain|title=Sete shines through Spanish rain.|date=May 2, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> He also scored his first fastest lap of the season.

One round later, at the [[2004 French motorcycle Grand Prix|French]] round, Gibernau scored his first ever back-to-back victory after conquering his first pole position of the year on Saturday by just 0.150 seconds over [[Carlos Checa]], despite not being at his best due to a fever.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74038/1/gibernau-grabs-le-mans-pole|title=Gibernau grabs Le Mans pole.|date=May 15, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, Checa overtook Gibernau at the start and led from the opening lap until lap twelve, when Gibernau passed Checa after he ran slightly wide on a long right-hander. He then pulled a 0.800 second gap to Checa, who was coming under pressure from [[Max Biaggi]] as he closed in with ten laps to go. Gibernau never came under threat from Checa and crossed the line +1.671 clear to score his second win of the season.<ref>{{cite web|website=Crash.net|url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/74058/1/sete-backtoback-as-spain-rules-le-mans.html|title=  Sete back-to-back as Spain rules Le Mans |date=16 May 2004|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref>

In the next three races, Gibernau would narrowly miss out on the victory three consecutive times when Rossi beat him on the final lap. In [[2004 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italy]], Gibernau took his second consecutive pole position on Saturday, beating [[Nicky Hayden]] with 0.369 seconds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74120/1/sete-holds-mugello-pole-hayden-surprises|title=Sete holds Mugello pole, Hayden surprises.|date=June 5, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, the race was red-flagged after seventeen laps due to rain. Before the race was red-flagged, the battle for first place was going on between Rossi, [[Makoto Tamada]], Gibernau and Biaggi. The race was later restarted for the remaining six laps, with the grid determined by the running order before the suspension. With the track drying, but with substantial rain at turn one, Rossi had built up a one-second lead over Gibernau heading into the last lap, and though Gibernau tried to close the gap, he could not prevent Rossi from winning the race 0.361 seconds ahead.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74130/1/rossi-wins-dramatic-italian-grand-prix|title=Rossi wins dramatic Italian Grand Prix.|date=June 6, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref>

In [[2004 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]], Gibernau took his third consecutive pole on Saturday, 0.363 seconds ahead of Rossi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74179/1/sete-storms-to-home-pole|title=Sete storms to home pole.|date=June 12, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, Gibernau started off well and led for much of the race, but couldn't prevent a hard-charging Rossi - whose Yamaha had less tyre and grip problems than Gibernau's Honda - from taking first place with two laps to go to win the race with a narrow 0.159 second margin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74187/1/rossi-haunts-gibernau-at-home|title=Rossi haunts Gibernau at home.|date=June 13, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74194/1/sete-honda-must-understand-the-threat|title=Sete: Honda must understand the threat.|date=June 14, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> Rossi's win meant that he had reduced his gap with Gibernau to only five points in the standings.

In the [[2004 Dutch TT|Netherlands]], Gibernau missed another potential pole position when his clutch broke on his final qualifying run and he couldn't fully open the throttle on Saturday, gifting pole to Rossi instead by 0.682 seconds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74244/1/rossi-leads-yamaha-charge-with-assen-pole|title=Rossi leads Yamaha charge with Assen pole.|date=June 25, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74238/1/gibernau-the-clutch-broke|title=Gibernau: The clutch broke.|date=June 25, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, Gibernau and Rossi dominated the top positions after briefly disposing of a well-starting [[Carlos Checa]] until lap ten, when [[Alex Barros]] Repsol Honda caught the pair and surprised Rossi by overtaking him on the start/finish straight, only to fall a lap later when an apparent mechanical failure locked up his rear wheel on the entry to a high-speed right-hander, handing the battle for the race win back to the Spaniard and the Italian. Gibernau then led right to the last lap, but Rossi was shadowing him ever since and - after being prevented by a clever change of racing line from Gibernau along the back straight - Rossi made his move by going up the inside at the Strubben hairpin. Gibernau tried to stick it around the outside and the two would ride alongside each other to the next turn, where they made contact. Givernau's front wheel hit the rear of Rossi's bike and broke Gibernau's front fender, unsettling Gibernau in the process. All this allowed Rossi to gain some vital space and he was able to cross the line +0.456 seconds ahead of Gibernau.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74253/1/rossi-breaks-gibernau-in-dutch-duel|title=Rossi breaks Gibernau in Dutch duel.|date=June 26, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> After the race, Rossi commented that he saw that ''"Sete is a little angry"''.

At the following two rounds, Gibernau registered two consecutive retirements. Gibernau and Rossi were level on points, and Gibernau had the edge on Rossi for most of the weekend at the [[2004 Rio de Janeiro motorcycle Grand Prix|Rio de Janeiro]] race. Despite [[Kenny Roberts, Jr.]] taking the pole position on Saturday, Gibernau showed formidable race speed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74298/1/surprise-rio-pole-for-roberts|title=Surprise Rio pole for Roberts.|date=July 3, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, despite making a poor start, Gibernau was in the leading group of riders and had just passed Rossi when his Honda's front end slid out from underneath him on lap two and crashed out from sixth place. Rossi, seeking to capitalise, pushed harder but he too then crashed out at the very same corner as Gibernau only a few laps later.<ref name="Tamada wins as points leaders fall in the Río GP">{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st54883.php |title=Tamada wins as points leaders fall in the Río GP |website=F1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/74310/1/tamada-wins-wild-rio-gp|title=Tamada wins wild Rio GP!|date=July 4, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref>

Gibernau again crashed out in [[2004 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]] when he lost the front of his [[Honda RC211V]] on lap nine, this time Rossi stayed aboard but, could only manage fourth, moving 13 points ahead of Gibernau in the championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st55509.php |title=Max Biaggi wins in Germany; Honda finish 1-2-3 |website=F1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74381/1/biaggi-beats-barros-for-german-gp-victory|title=Biaggi beats Barros for German GP victory.|date=July 18, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref>

At the [[2004 British motorcycle Grand Prix|British]] round, Gibernau finished in third position. With Rossi starting on pole but being swamped by the Factory Ducati of [[Loris Capirossi]] and the Gresini Honda of Gibernau, he was demoted to third on the opening lap. He bounced back however by re-overtaking Gibernau at the Melbourne hairpin turn 10 and then Capirossi for the lead at the Foggy chicane on lap two. Edwards meanwhile, was moving up the field, overtaking the Ducati's of [[Troy Bayliss]] and Capirossi on lap three, then closing in on teammate Gibernau and passing him for second place on lap five. Gibernau was +0.400 seconds behind Edwards but couldn't do anything about the ever-increasing gap he pulled as the race went on. Gibernau crossed the line +4.426 seconds behind race winner Rossi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74452/1/rossi-wins-british-gp-edwards-on-podium|title=Rossi wins British GP, Edwards on podium.|date=July 25, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> This third place however meant that Gibernau was now 22 points behind Rossi in the standings, with seven races to go.

In the [[2004 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]], Gibernau won his third race of the season. On Saturday, he took pole position in a rain-affected final qualifying session, beating Barros and Rossi for the top spot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74516/1/gibernau-beats-weather-for-brno-pole|title=Gibernau beats weather for Brno pole.|date=August 21, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> When the lights went out on Sunday, Gibernau briefly battled with Bayliss' Ducati before building a one-second lead that he maintained until lap seven, when a four-man group of Rossi, Biaggi, Barros and [[Nicky Hayden]] caught up to him. Gibernau stayed ahead when Barros, Biaggi and Rossi fought with each other over positions, until Barros slid out of contention on lap fifteen, promoting Biaggi and Hayden to third and fourth place respectively. With five laps to go, Rossi tried to overtake Gibernau when he pulled alongside him on the entry to the left hander, but the attack failed when Gibernau held on and let the inside line come to him at the following turn. Rossi then outbraked Gibernau down the inside at the end of the next straight, in which Gibernau responded by cutting across behind Rossi's rear wheel as they entered the first part of the corner, then held a very tight line and accelerated to beat Rossi to the second apex - leaving a long, black line of burning rubber on the tarmac. After this battle, Gibernau pulled away to cross the line +3.514 clear of Rossi, reducing his championship lead to 17 points.<ref>{{cite web|website=Crash.net|url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/74527/1/gibernau-czechs-rivals-with-brno-victory.html|title= Gibernau Czechs rivals with Brno victory.   |date=22 August 2004|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref> and [[2004 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|Losail]].<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

In [[2004 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|Portugal]], Gibernau narrowly lost out on a third-place podium, finishing fourth whilst Rossi won, and finished in sixth place at the [[2004 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japanese]] GP with Rossi finishing second.

At the [[2004 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|Qatar]] race, their previously good-natured rivalry spilled over, as Rossi accused Gibernau of pressuring officials to disqualify his qualifying result for allegedly later tampering with the track patch from which he started, to get better grip off an unusually dusty surface.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st66789.php |title=Sete Gibernau wins as Valentino Rossi crashes |publisher=f1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref> However, it was Gibernau's team, not Gibernau himself, who had noticed the track alteration and asked race organisers to investigate. The security camera tapes showed Rossi's team tampering with the track, doing extended [[burnout (vehicle)|burnouts]] on his starting zone which embedded rubber across it and provided better grip. Because of this, race organisers penalised Rossi, as well as Biaggi, and moved them both to the back of the grid.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rossifiles.com/2005/09/27/motogp-set-up-report-qatar/ |title=MotoGP set-up report – Qatar |publisher=rossifiles.com |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74770/1/rossi-penalized-will-start-last|title=Rossi penalized - will start last!|date=October 2, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74761/1/biaggi-joins-rossi-at-back-of-the-grid|title=Biaggi joins Rossi at back of the grid.|date=October 2, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> At the start, Gibernau overtook polesitter [[Carlos Checa]] into turn one on the opening lap, who then increased the gap to +3.290 seconds by lap eight. On lap six however, Rossi crashed out of contention when he ran wide onto the grass and lost the rear in the process. After Rossi's retirement, Gresini Honda teammate Edwards overtook midway through lap nine and went on to chase Gibernau. By lap thirteen, he was less than two seconds away from Gibernau, who responded by going even quicker and thus stabilising his lead. With four laps to go, Edwards once again tried to close in on Gibernau - closing the gap from 2 to 1.6 seconds in one lap - but Gibernau once again responded by upping the pace to extend the gap to 2 seconds once again. Gibernau crossed the line +1.315 seconds ahead of Colin Edwards to win the inaugural race.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2004/Gibernau+takes+win+as+Rossi+crashes+in+Qatar/ |title=Gibernau takes win as Rossi crashes in Qatar |publisher=motogp.com |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/74764/1/gibernau-wins-dramatic-qatar-gp-rossi-falls|title=Gibernau wins dramatic Qatar GP, Rossi falls.|date=October 2, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> Gibernau was now only 14 points behind Rossi in the championship standings with just three races to go.
The media reported that Rossi put a curse on his rival after the race, stating that ''"Gibernau will not win another race"''. Some in the Spanish and Italian motorcycle racing media called it the "Qatar Curse."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76568/1/gibernau-to-break-the-curse|title=Gibernau to break 'the curse'?|date=September 30, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74801/1/rossi-gibernau-play-down-qatar-controversy|title=Rossi, Gibernau play down Qatar controversy.|date=October 7, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref>
 
After his controversial win in Losail, Gibernau finished in a lowly seventh at the next round in [[2004 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysia]] while Rossi went on to win the race. At the penultimate round in [[2004 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australia]], Gibernau finished in second place once more. On Saturday, Gibernau took his fifth pole of the season, beating Rossi by just +0.100 seconds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/74899/1/gibernau-steals-phillip-island-pole|title=Gibernau steals Phillip Island pole.|date=October 16, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, Sete started well and enjoyed the lead of the race up to lap eighteen, when Rossi overtook him at turn one for the lead. Gibernau then shadowed Rossi for four laps, before overtaking him with five laps to go. Gibernau held on to the lead until the last lap, when Rossi made a move by closing up on the brakes into the fast turn one, before squeezing inside Gibernau at turn two. Gibernau stuck to Rossi's rear wheel and drove alongside when they both approached the Honda hairpin, hitting the brakes hard but it was Rossi who ultimately lost out when his rear wheel skipped across the asphalt, forcing him to run a little wide in the process. That allowed Gibernau to dive underneath and get back into the lead, but Rossi responded by moving on the inside as they accelerated up and over turn nine - the medium-speed Lukey Heights corner - moving into the lead with just a few corners to go. Eventually, Rossi crossed the line +0.097 seconds ahead of Gibernau to win the 2004 world championship in his first year on the Factory Yamaha, with Gibernau finishing in second place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/74919/1/rossi-wins-2004-world-championship|title=Rossi wins 2004 world championship!|date=October 17, 2004|website=Crash}}</ref>
While Rossi celebrated, Gibernau was visibly disgruntled in parc fermé for losing out on the title for the second consecutive year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article586329.ece |title=Melandri happy to be fall guy no more |work=The Times |access-date=14 December 2010 |location=London |first=Rick |last=Broadbent |date=4 November 2005}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> At the final round of the season in [[2004 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencia]], Gibernau finished fourth.

Gibernau finished second in the championship with 257 points, 47 points behind the champion Valentino Rossi.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

;2005
[[File:Sete Gibernau 2005.jpg|250 px|thumb|Gibernau at the [[2005 British motorcycle Grand Prix|2005 British Grand Prix]].]]

In 2005, tensions between Gibernau and Rossi came to a head immediately at the first race in [[2005 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]]. With Rossi and Gibernau swapping the lead a few times on the opening lap, Gibernau then took the lead and led most of the race with Rossi a close second. On the penultimate lap, Rossi attacked and passed Gibernau to take the lead and then opened a gap on Gibernau. However, Rossi made a mistake and was re-passed by Gibernau with one lap remaining. On the final corner, Rossi made an aggressive pass on Gibernau which broke Gibernau's front fender to take the lead and win the race. During the pass, Gibernau and Rossi came into contact and Gibernau was unable to complete the turn and ran wide into the gravel; he did not fall and was able to continue and finish second.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=crash.net|url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/75523/1/rossi-wins-after-last-turn-sete-takeout.html|title= Rossi wins after last turn Sete take-out!  |date=10 April 2005|access-date=27 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st70749.htm |title=Dramatic last lap action in MotoGP '05 round one |publisher=f1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref> After the incident, Gibernau was furious and refused to comment on the last lap. Rossi commented on the incident, stating that his move had been "hard" but also that "motorbike races sometimes are like this".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2005/apr/11/motorcycling.motogp|title=Motor cycling: Rossi angers Gibernau|first=Mike|last=Nicks|date=April 11, 2005|work=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75531/1/gibernau-silent-rossi-says-its-racing|title=Gibernau silent, Rossi says it's racing.|date=April 11, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> The pass was controversial amongst observers; some considered it overly aggressive or even dirty racing while others felt it was a brilliant racing move. The Spanish crowd booed and whistled at Rossi as the Italian national anthem was playing. Gibernau was unimpressed with Rossi's move but neither he nor his Gresini team lodged a formal protest.

At round two in [[2005 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|Portugal]], Gibernau marked his first retirement of the season. After qualifying second on Saturday,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75579/1/barros-flawless-for-estoril-pole|title=Barros flawless for Estoril pole.|date=April 16, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> Gibernau then took the lead when the lights went out and everyone headed into turn one. Gibernau immediately upped the pace and pulled a +1.700 second gap to second place [[Max Biaggi]]. With [[Alex Barros]] moving up the field and eventually overtaking Biaggi on lap two for second place, closed down the gap to around one second, before failing to trim it down even more. Around lap eight, white flags were shown to signal the first ever 'flag-to-flag' rain race, meaning that the race would not be stopped and that the riders themselves could decide whether or not to swap bikes. Because the rain was not intense enough to swap bikes, no rider went into the pits to do so. However, on lap sixteen, the rain went from just a few spots to a serious shower at turn one, catching out Gibernau who lost the front of his bike before he even reached the apex. Gibernau tried to continue but failed because his bike went out during the fall, leaving the already injured Gibernau to walk away with his head shaking in disbelief.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75594/1/barros-wins-first-ever-flag-to-flag-sete-falls|title=Barros wins first ever 'flag-to-flag', Sete falls.|date=April 17, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> Barros won the race, with Gibernau now dropping to fifth in the championship standings as a result.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75640/1/gibernau-still-defiant|title=Gibernau still defiant.|date=April 26, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

At the inaugural [[2005 Chinese motorcycle Grand Prix|Chinese]] grand prix, Gibernau took his first pole of the year on Saturday, beating teammate [[Marco Melandri]] by +0.163 seconds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75680/1/sete-grabs-pole-in-shanghai-shake-up|title=Sete grabs pole in Shanghai shake-up.|date=April 30, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday however, Gibernau knew he was in trouble before the rain-affected race had even begun when he felt his rear tyre vibrating on the warm-up lap. At the start, Gibernau got overtaken by the Factory Suzuki of [[John Hopkins (motorcyclist)|John Hopkins]] and teammate Melandri when the vibration kicked in and he was pushed wide. By the end of lap five, he had struggled back to second after [[Kenny Roberts Jr.]] had retired and Hopkins had faded. Around the halfway stage, Rossi had increased the gap to Gibernau with about +6.3 seconds, but replacement rider [[Olivier Jacque]] was only +0.600 seconds behind him and was closing in fast, setting the fastest laps of the race. Gibernau fought hard to keep him behind, but the tyre problems prevented him from doing so properly and that allowed Jacque to pass Gibernau on lap fourteen. Halfway around the last lap, Melandri took third place from Gibernau, demoting him to fourth at the very end of the race.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/75690/1/rossi-surfs-to-shanghai-victory-jacque-second|title=Rossi surfs to Shanghai victory - Jacque second!|date=May 1, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> This meant that Gibernau now slipped to 37 points behind championship leader [[Valentino Rossi]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75695/1/gibernau-hopes-floored-by-faulty-tyre|title=Gibernau hopes floored by faulty tyre.|date=May 2, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

In [[2005 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]], Gibernau finished second once more. With the race declared 'wet' minutes before the start, Gibernau went from fourth to seventh on the opening lap, with Rossi losing the lead and ending up sixth as well. While Rossi worked himself up the order, Gibernau stayed seventh for four more laps, then dropped eighth, before making an impressive comeback. He overtook [[Alex Barros]] on lap five, [[Shinya Nakano]] on lap six, Melandri on lap eight, then overtaking [[Loris Capirossi]] and [[Nicky Hayden]] for third on lap sixteen. Rossi now realised that Gibernau was moving in fast, he needed to overtake teammate [[Colin Edwards]] and use him as a blocker, but with Gibernau being very fast in the wet, he quickly moved in and was right behind Rossi's rear wheel eventually. With Rossi trying to overtake Edwards for the first time - diving cleanly inside - he ran wide which allowed Gibernau to take second place from Rossi in the following corner, blocking an attempt by Rossi to hold the outside line. However, with Edwards still delivering a nearly faultless ride, Gibernau now also was faced with the problem of passing Edwards. His attempts to pass him leaving the door open for Rossi to recover the lost ground and the position, which he did with a sudden pass. With eight laps to go, Edards made his only real error of the race, allowing Rossi to dive inside the race leader on the first apex of a double right-hander and take first place, causing Gibernau to overtake him as well when the trio went into the second apex. The top two then broke away but Gibernau wasn't able to pass Rossi in the closing laps, his tyres sliding too much on the final lap to do so. Eventually, Gibernau finished +0.382 seconds behind Rossi in second place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/75772/1/rossi-restrains-gibernau-for-le-mans-victory|title=Rossi restrains Gibernau for Le Mans victory.|date=May 15, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

At round five in [[2005 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italy]], Gibernau registered his second DNF of the season. After narrowly losing out on the pole against Rossi by just +0.138 seconds on Saturday,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75856/1/rossi-repels-gibernau-for-home-pole|title=Rossi repels Gibernau for home pole.|date=June 4, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> Capirossi took the race lead behind Gibernau when Rossi was demoted to fifth when the lights went out on Sunday. However, when Rossi fought his way back into the lead in just one lap, Gibernau lacked the pace and was overtaken by Rossi on lap one. The top two began to break away from Gibernau, before being overtaken by Biaggi and Capirossi on lap two. Gibernau then lowsided out of contention at a downhill right-hander, retiring from the race in the process.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75865/1/rossi-beats-biaggi-in-breathtaking-home-duel|title=Rossi beats Biaggi in breathtaking home duel.|date=June 5, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

After his retirement at Mugello, things would improve for Sete at his 'home race' in [[2005 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]]. After taking his second pole of the season on Saturday, beating teammate Melandri by +0.053 seconds,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/75922/1/gibernau-leads-movistar-one-two-with-home-pole|title=Gibernau leads Movistar one-two with home pole.|date=June 11, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> Gibernau retained the lead on the opening lap but with a fast-charing Rossi already up to second - overtaking Capirossi, Hayden, Biaggi and Melandri in one lap - when he dropped from third to sixth on the opening lap. With the front trio trading positions frequently, Gibernau made a mistake when he clipped Melandri's rear wheel under breaking for a tight left hander on lap three, causing him to run wide and lose second to Rossi. On lap five, Rossi and Gibernau forced themselves ahead of Melandri when braking for turn one, then pulling a slight gap to him. On lap six, Gibernau overtook Rossi for the lead on the same spot, holding a +0.400 second gap over Rossi by the halfway point. On lap twentyone, Rossi ran slightly wide at the end of the back straight but soon closed up to Gibernau's rear wheel once again. On the twentythird lap, Rossi finally made a pass after getting a superb exit out of the final turn, tucking into Gibernau's slipstream and then passing the Catalan into turn one. After the overtake, Rossi made the best use of his better tyres and set a fastest lap of the race to pull a gap to Gibernau, who couldn't respond in the last three laps of the race. Rossi won the race +1.094 seconds ahead of Gibernau.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/75937/1/rossi-takes-clinical-catalan-victory|title=Rossi takes clinical Catalan victory.|date=June 12, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

Two lacklustre results would follow at the [[2005 Dutch TT|Dutch]] and [[2005 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|United States]] rounds, when Gibernau finished fifth twice. At the [[2005 British motorcycle Grand Prix|British]] round, Gibernau would retire once more. Qualifying second on a dry Saturday,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76191/1/rossi-beats-movistars-for-donington-pole|title=Rossi beats Movistars for Donington pole.|date=July 23, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> the Sunday race was rain-affected and - after an aborted first start - Giberanau would lead the field when Rossi was demoted to seventh after a poor start with too much wheelspin. Gibernau then set a relentless pace to pull seconds out of the pursuing pack. As the field crossed the start/finish to complete the first lap, Gibernau had already amassed a 2.4 second gap over the five-man pack in pursuit. Rossi moved into the lead when Gibernau - whom Rossi had begun to catch up to after moving up to second on lap three - highsided from his Gresini Honda on lap four. Gibernau was furious and almost saved the rear-end slide before it pitched him off his bike and into the gravel, thus marking his third DNF of the year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/76202/1/rossi-wins-action-packed-donington-rain-dance|title=Rossi wins action-packed Donington rain dance!|date=July 24, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

Gibernau would register his final podium position in the MotoGP class at the [[2005 German motorcycle Grand Prix|German]] GP. Starting second behind [[Nicky Hayden]] on Saturday,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76254/1/hayden-seizes-sachsenring-pole|title=Hayden seizes Sachsenring pole.|date=July 30, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76257/1/sete-a-slightly-bitter-second|title=Sete a 'slightly bitter' second.|date=July 30, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> Gibernau lost two positions as the lights went out. However, after a heavy highside threw [[John Hopkins (motorcyclist)|John Hopkins]] off his Factory Suzuki on lap six, the marshalls waved the red flags and restarted the race. At the second start, Gibernau would lose one place and ride behind Rossi in third place, following him when he overtook Hayden at the end of lap two. Sete then overtook Rossi on lap three to hold the lead right up until the last lap, when he missed his breaking point going into turn one, gifting first place to Rossi who would go on to win the race +0.685 ahead of Gibernau, who failed to repass the Italian but managed to stay ahead of Hayden.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/76266/1/rossi-slays-hondas-for-sachsenring-win|title=Rossi slays Hondas for Sachsenring win.|date=July 31, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

In the next three rounds, Gibernau registered three consecutive retirements. 
In the [[2005 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]], Gibernau took pole position ahead of Hayden, Capirossi and Rossi on Saturday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76371/1/brno-pole-for-super-sete|title=Brno pole for super Sete!|date=August 27, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, Gibernau converted his pole into a turn one lead when the riders behind him fought for positions. With Rossi emerging as the winner of the fight, he then surprised Gibernau by forcing his way inside him with a tough move to take the lead on the second lap. Gibernau settled into second for the next two laps before repassing Rossi briefly into the final turn - Rossi slipstreaming back into the lead into turn one. Gibernau again fought back and outbraked Rossi into the fast chicane that followed, ultimately taking the lead. On lap twelve, Rossi retook first place when he burst past Gibernau on the brakes into the final chicane, just missing Sete's knee in the process. With a few laps to go, Gibernau eased past Rossi through the last of the downhill turns and quickly built a six-bike-length lead. But it would count for nothing when he ran slightly wide at the penultimate uphill chicane, making him lose his advantage. At the start of the last lap, Rossi made a late dive on Gibernau through the fast left-right switch to retake the lead once more, then pulling a 0.5 second gap to escape Gibernau. Gibernau then tried closing in, until his RCV bobbled and a fuel-supply problem forced Gibernau to retire with just two 'S' bends to go. This retirement saw him slip from third to fifth in the championship standings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76385/1/gibernau-powerless-as-rossi-wins-brno|title=Gibernau 'powerless' as Rossi wins Brno.|date=August 28, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> In [[2005 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]], Gibernau would crash out of the race on lap twelve.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/76474/1/capirossi-wins-motegi-rossi-torpedoes-melandri|title=Capirossi wins Motegi, Rossi torpedoes Melandri.|date=September 18, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> In [[2005 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysia]], Gibernau was eliminated at the end of lap one when he collided with [[Shinya Nakano]] whilst trying to overtake him for third into the final hairpin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76530/1/capirossi-wins-rossi-crowned-2005-champion|title=Capirossi wins, Rossi crowned 2005 champion.|date=September 25, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

At the following three rounds - the [[2005 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|Qatar]], [[2005 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australian]] and [[2005 Turkish motorcycle Grand Prix|Turkish]] grands prix - Gibernau only scored two fifth and one fourth place, despite claiming pole at the Turkish race.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76710/1/gibernau-jumps-melandri-for-istanbul-pole|title=Gibernau jumps Melandri for Istanbul pole.|date=October 22, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref>

At the final round in [[2005 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencia]], Gibernau took his fifth and final pole of the season when Rossi only managed to qualify in fifteenth place after a high-speed incident on Saturday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76793/1/gibernau-takes-valencia-pole-rossi-nightmare|title=Gibernau takes Valencia pole, Rossi nightmare.|date=November 5, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, Gibernau had a poor getaway and was relegated to fourth as the lights went out, before retaking third from [[Carlos Checa]] at the following left-hand hairpin. Afterwards, Melandri, Hayden and Gibernau started to move away from fourth-place Biaggi, until Gibernau's engine broke down in a cloud of white smoke and he was forced to retire on lap four. All he could do was park the bike, stare at it with his arms crossed and then crouch with his head in his hands as he wondered, once again, what might have been.

Gibernau finished seventh in the championship with 150 points, 217 points behind the champion Valentino Rossi.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

====Ducati (2006)====
;2006

[[Image:Gibernau wreck.jpg|250px|right|thumb|The remains of Gibernau's motorcycle after his crash at the [[2006 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|2006 Catalan Grand Prix]].]]

In 2006, Gibernau joined the Factory Ducati team to replace [[Carlos Checa]], showing impressive speed with the [[Ducati Desmosedici]] race bike in pre-season testing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/76816/1/official-gibernau-joins-ducati|title=Official: Gibernau joins Ducati.|date=November 7, 2005|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SPORT/11/07/mcycling.gibernau/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819083905/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SPORT/11/07/mcycling.gibernau/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 19, 2019|title=CNN.com - Gibernau in switch to Ducati team - Nov 7, 2005|publisher=CNN}}</ref>

At the opening round in [[2006 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]], Gibernau qualified in a strong second place on Saturday, showing promise that Gibernau would be in contention for the title once more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77216/1/capirossi-dominates-for-jerez-pole-rossi-ninth|title=Capirossi dominates for Jerez pole, Rossi ninth.|date=March 25, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> However, Gibernau retired on lap two when he raised his hand at the exit of a turn to signal mechanical problems - later identified as electronics issues - on Sunday, marking it his first DNF of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77229/1/capirossi-beats-pedrosa-for-jerez-victory|title=Capirossi beats Pedrosa for Jerez victory.|date=March 26, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st93333.htm |title=A winning start for Ducati and Loris Capirossi |publisher=f1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref>

At [[2006 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|Qatar]], Gibernau finished fourth after overtaking rookie [[Casey Stoner]] with three laps to go.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/77304/1/rossi-restores-order-with-close-qatar-win|title=Rossi restores order with close Qatar win.|date=April 8, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> In [[2006 Turkish motorcycle Grand Prix|Turkey]] however, he only managed to finish in eleventh place after suffering tyre problems with his [[Bridgestone]] compound.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77370/1/melandri-beats-stoner-in-turkish-thriller|title=Melandri beats Stoner in Turkish thriller.|date=April 30, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> In [[2006 Chinese motorcycle Grand Prix|China]] and [[2006 French motorcycle Grand Prix|France]], he only managed to finish ninth and eighth while his more experienced teammate [[Loris Capirossi]] finished ahead of him on both occasions - eighth and second.

At the [[2006 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italian]] GP, Gibernau took his final MotoGP pole by beating his teammate Capirossi by just +0.089 seconds on Saturday.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77546/1/gibernau-gives-ducati-home-mugello-pole|title=Gibernau gives Ducati home Mugello pole.|date=June 3, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> On Sunday, Gibernau fought hard with [[Valentino Rossi]] for the lead on multiple occasions, until he fell back during the race to sixth before eventually crossing the line in fifth place after his left-boot protector fell off during the race and rode with a bleeding left foot.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st97794.htm |title=Valentino Rossi wins MotoGP thriller at Mugello |publisher=f1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77565/1/rossi-strikes-back-with-home-mugello-win|title=Rossi strikes back with home Mugello win.|date=June 4, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref>

The seventh round at the [[2006 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalunya]] shaped the rest of Gibernau's season and the rest of his career, in an extraordinary crash described later by race commentators as "Terrifying" and "I have never been so scared in my life, commentating a race".<ref>British Eurosport, "MotoGP Series - Season Review", broadcast 2006-11-05; Toby Moody and Julian Ryder respectively</ref> In the crowded first corner, a fast right-hander, Gibernau's teammate Capirossi moved left around traffic across Gibernau's faster line (over 124&nbsp;mph (198&nbsp;km/h) at the point of the accident, according to the datalogger) and collected his front brake lever, locking Gibernau's front wheel and flipping his bike end over end.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/180274/1/pic-flashback-setes-somersault-at-catalunya|title=PIC FLASHBACK: Sete's somersault at Catalunya|date=May 30, 2012|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77632/1/rossi-wins-roberts-podiums-after-catalan-chaos|title=Rossi wins, Roberts podiums after Catalan chaos.|date=June 18, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> It only narrowly missed landing on the unconscious Gibernau. In the resulting group crash, six riders went into the gravel, five motorcycles were wrecked, three riders were taken to hospital, and race organisers stopped the race.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77629/1/pictures-sete-somersault-starts-turn-one-carnage|title=PICTURES: Sete somersault starts turn one carnage.|date=June 18, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> Gibernau's [[ambulance]] itself then had an accident on the way to hospital, hitting a bus just 50 metres from the hospital entrance, although he did not suffer any further injury.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.girlstalksports.com/Motor-Sports/Motorcycling/Sete-Gibernau-breaks-collarbone-and-concussed-after-Catalunya-Grand-Prix-crash-200606191104/ |title=Sete Gibernau breaks collarbone and concussed after Catalunya Grand Prix crash |publisher=girlstalksports.com |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref> It was later confirmed that he had concussion and had broken a bone in his hand and re-broken the collar bone broken at Assen, necessitating the removal and replacement of the metal plate.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/5093328.stm |title=Injured Gibernau to miss Dutch GP |publisher=BBC |access-date=14 December 2010 |date=20 June 2006}}</ref>

The accident caused him to miss the next two rounds in the [[2006 Dutch TT|Netherlands]] and [[2006 British motorcycle Grand Prix|Great Britain]], but returned at the [[2006 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]] where he finished eighth, despite feeling weak beforehand.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st100587.htm |title=Rossi defeats Honda might in Germany |publisher=f1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77703/1/gibernau-targets-german-return|title=Gibernau targets German return.|date=June 29, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77813/1/rossi-beats-hondas-for-incredible-sachsenring-win|title=Rossi beats Hondas for incredible Sachsenring win.|date=July 16, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> At the [[2006 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|United States]] round, Gibernau finished tenth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st100997.htm |title=Hayden wins it again at Laguna Seca |publisher=f1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref> Gibernau missed the [[2006 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]] round after it was discovered that the titanium plate inserted into Sete Gibernau's broken collarbone had 'weakened' and thus needed surgery to be fixed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/77887/1/gibernau-undergoes-second-collarbone-surgery|title=Gibernau undergoes second collarbone surgery.|date=July 28, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref>

His fitness improved and he returned for the [[2006 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysian]] round, managing a commendable fifth-place finish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motorcyclenews.com/sport/motogp/2006/september/gibernaus-sepang-return/|title=Gibernau's Sepang return|date=September 1, 2006|website=Motorcycle News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/78043/1/rossi-wins-sepang-after-capirossi-showdown|title=Rossi wins Sepang after Capirossi showdown.|date=September 10, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> At the following round in [[2006 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|Australia]], Gibernau led the race for some time after rain forced riders to swap bikes, but a wrong tyre change saw him drop to fourth after Rossi snatched third place from him on the final corner of the last lap.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st104581.htm |title=Marco Melandri wins flag-to-flag MotoGP race |publisher=f1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/78085/1/melandri-wins-first-ever-bike-swap-motogp|title=Melandri wins first ever 'bike swap' MotoGP.|date=September 17, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref>

In [[2006 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]], Gibernau finished fourth once more, despite being involved in a late-race collision with the Kawasaki of [[Shinya Nakano]] when he tried to overtake him at the downhill right-hand turn, at the end of the back straight.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/78135/1/capirossi-conquers-motegi-rossi-ready-to-strike|title=Capirossi conquers Motegi, Rossi ready to strike.|date=September 24, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref>

In the penultimate round of the season in [[2006 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|Portugal]], he was riding in fifth place when Casey Stoner crashed in front of him, too close to avoid and brought Gibernau down with him.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s180/st106156.htm |title=Elías wins GP as Hayden gets taken out in Portugal |publisher=f1network.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/78218/1/elias-wins-repsol-horror-hands-rossi-title-lead|title=Elias wins, Repsol horror hands Rossi title lead.|date=October 15, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref> Gibernau suffered a broken fifth metacarpal in his hand and re-bent one of the titanium plates in his collar bone, causing him to miss the [[2006 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencian Community]] race - the final round of the season - due to being unfit to ride as a result of the injuries he sustained.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/78236/1/gibernau-to-miss-valencia|title=Gibernau to miss Valencia.|date=October 17, 2006|website=Crash}}</ref>

The Ducati team replaced Gibernau with Casey Stoner for the 2007 season. He turned down offers from [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries|Kawasaki]], [[Sito Pons]] and the [[Ilmor X3|Ilmor]] team and decided to retire from motorcycle racing, saying at a press conference on 8 November 2006, "If I had accepted the offers to continue just for the sake of carrying on then it wouldn't have made me happy, especially if it was just for money."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/6128710.stm |title=Gibernau rejects Kawasaki to quit |publisher=BBC |access-date=14 December 2010 |date=8 November 2006}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/racing/news/story?id=2653718&seriesId=99|title=Two-time runner-up Gibernau retires from MotoGP|date=November 8, 2006|publisher=ESPN}}</ref>

Gibernau finished thirteenth in the championship with 95 points, 157 points behind the champion Nicky Hayden and 152 points behind runner-up Valentino Rossi.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

===Comeback===
====Return to Ducati (2009)====

[[File:Ángel Nieto and Sete Gibernau 2009 Jerez.jpg|thumb|Gibernau with [[Ángel Nieto]] before the start of the [[2009 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|2009 Spanish Grand Prix]].]]

Gibernau returned to action on 17 June 2008, testing the [[Desmosedici]] GP9 at the [[Mugello Circuit]], in a three-day test session alongside official test rider [[Vittoriano Guareschi]]. There was speculation that he could replace the uncompetitive [[Marco Melandri]] aboard the second Factory Ducati for the later races in the 2008 season. Despite positive results, Ducati MotoGP Project Director Livio Suppo was unwilling to confirm any definite future for Gibernau with the team. Sete again tested the Desmosedici GP8 and GP9 on a three-day test beginning on 1 July 2008 at the Mugello circuit. He recorded a best time of 1´50.5 on board the GP8 on race tyres, just a few tenths off this year's race record at Mugello set by Casey Stoner.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Positive+end+to+latest+Ducati+test+with+Gibernau+at+Mugello |title=Positive end to latest Ducati test with Gibernau at Mugello |publisher=motogp.com |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref> He clocked a 1´48.9 on 30 July at Mugello on qualifying tyres which would have placed him seventh on the starting grid for the [[2008 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|2008 Italian Grand Prix]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Gibernau+concludes+Ducati+testing+session+at+Mugello |title=Gibernau brings Ducati test to early conclusion |publisher=motogp.com |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref>

After a few months of speculation, on 23 October at Valencia, it was officially confirmed that he would return to race in the 2009 season with the [[Onde 2000]] team, a Ducati satellite team run by [[Ángel Nieto]]. The squad is backed by Onde 2000, a Spanish building concern. With number 15 taken by [[Alex de Angelis]], a new figure has been used for Gibernau's comeback campaign. Gibernau chose 59, in reference to the year in which his grandfather's [[Bultaco]] company produced their first bike.

He began testing for the new team at [[Circuit de Valencia|Valencia]]. Gibernau's quickest lap was a 1´34.451 riding the Onde 2000 Ducati GP9, that placed him a modest 14th on the 18-rider timesheets, almost two seconds from fastest man Casey Stoner.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Gibernau+gets+resettled+into+MotoGP+action+in+comeback+test |title=Gibernau gets resettled into MotoGP action in comeback test |publisher=motogp.com |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/News/81605/1/gibernau_makes_onde_2000_debut.html |title=Gibernau makes Onde 2000 debut |publisher=crash.net |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref> At Jerez, in his first official test since return to MotoGP, he ranked ninth among 14 riders, notably faster than [[Niccolò Canepa]] on the [[Pramac Racing|Alice Ducati]] and [[Vittoriano Guareschi]] on the factory Ducati.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motogp.com/en/TestResults/MotoGP+Test+Jerez |title=MotoGP Official Test at Jerez, Spain 27/11/08 |publisher=motogp.com |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref> Gibernau admitted that, at 35, among the current crop of young MotoGP stars—"I'm going to have to work very hard and I'm ready for that."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Gibernau+makes+return+official+in+Valencia+presentation | title=Gibernau makes return official in Valencia presentation  | publisher =motogp.com | date = 2008-10-23 | access-date =2008-10-23}}</ref> He admitted he was not back in MotoGP to win races, but rather to enjoy himself on the bike. Gibernau acknowledged the bikes had changed much in the two years he had been absent from the sport. He noted that the Ducati was now very competitive with much potential. "Cornering speed is extremely quick and compared to 2006 there's a lot more electronics. You must trust it almost with your eyes closed, and I still can't do it. I think the rider should do certain things, while instead you must let the bike do it."

Valentino Rossi said he is looking forward to renewing his rivalry with the former foe. “I am sorry I didn't see Sete on the track when we tested in Valencia because I think it's quite a big emotion for us to be together on the track again after all our great battles. I am happy to see him back. We spoke a little bit in the summer when he was thinking about coming back and I'm looking forward to racing him again.”<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2008/November/10-16/nov1308-Rossi-looking-forward-to-new-Gibernau-battle/ |title=Valentino Rossi looking forward to new Sete Gibernau battle |publisher=motorcyclenews.com |access-date=14 December 2010 }}</ref>

At the opening round of the season in [[2009 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|Qatar]], Gibernau finished in thirteenth place, scoring three points. Gibernau then crashed out at the following race in [[2009 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/145931/1/lorenzo-beats-rossi-for-motegi-victory|title=Lorenzo beats Rossi for Motegi victory.|date=April 26, 2009|website=Crash}}</ref> and finished in eleventh in [[2009 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|Spain]], his best result of the season.

Gibernau missed the [[2009 French motorcycle Grand Prix|French]] and [[2009 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|Italian]] grands prix due to a broken collarbone he sustained during a practice session at the [[Bugatti Circuit]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/147017/1/gibernau-has-surgery-targets-catalunya|title=Gibernau has surgery, targets Catalunya|date=May 19, 2009|website=Crash}}</ref>

On 4 June he confirmed that he will be fit to race at his home track - the [[Circuit de Catalunya]]. Upon his return, he finished fifteenth at the [[2009 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|Catalan]] and thirteenth at the [[2009 Dutch TT|Dutch]] races. At his final race of the season, the [[2009 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|United States]] round, he recorded his second DNF of the season after he crashed out.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/149378/1/pedrosa-ends-honda-drought-with-us-gp-victory|title=Pedrosa ends Honda drought with US GP victory.|date=July 5, 2009|website=Crash}}</ref>

On 12 July 2009 the Grupo [[Seseña#Francisco Hernando|Francisco Hernando]] team announced that they would withdraw from the MotoGP championship due to financial constraints, leaving Gibernau without a ride for the remainder of the 2009 season.<ref name="Gibernau woe as team quits MotoGP">{{cite web | url=http://www.carolenash.com/insidebikes/bike-sport/gibernau-woe-as-team-quits-motogp.htm | title=Gibernau woe as team quits MotoGP | publisher=insidebikes.com | date=2009-07-13 | access-date=2009-07-01 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708122725/http://www.carolenash.com/insidebikes/bike-sport/gibernau-woe-as-team-quits-motogp.htm | archive-date=2011-07-08 }}</ref>

Gibernau finished nineteenth in the championship with 12 points, 294 points behind the champion Valentino Rossi and 249 points behind runner-up Jorge Lorenzo.<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>

Valentino Rossi has mentioned [[Casey Stoner]], followed by Gibernau as his hardest rivals ever.<ref name="Rossi reviews best form of MotoGP career"/> Gibernau was known for his wet-weather abilities and was occasionally referred to as "Rainmaster". However, despite his flair, he was all too often let down by an apparently temperamental nature. In-race setbacks could disproportionately affect his competitiveness, both negatively and positively. His career started slowly until he found his motivation and his intermittent flair became consistent. Then he was the principal challenger for Rossi's crown until 2005. The 2006 brought a series of emotional, technical, and injury setbacks, apparently sapping his motivation. It culminated in a major mid-season no-fault racing incident which effectively eliminated him from the championship.

===Second comeback===
====MotoE World Cup (2019)====

After a decade of retirement, Gibernau made a second comeback when he confirmed he would race in the new electric [[MotoE World Cup]] class with the [[Pons Racing]] team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2018/11/12/gibernau-to-compete-in-motoe-with-pons-racing/278233|title=Gibernau to compete in MotoE™ with Pons Racing|first=Dorna|last=Sports|website=motogp.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/910216/1/gibernau-comes-out-retirement-motoe-return|title=Gibernau comes out of retirement for MotoE return|date=November 12, 2018|website=Crash}}</ref>

At the inaugural MotoE race in [[2019 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]], Gibernau finished in ninth place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/925054/1/tuuli-wins-historic-first-motoe-race-after-red-flag|title=Tuuli wins historic first MotoE race after red flag|date=July 7, 2019|website=Crash}}</ref> At the second round in [[2019 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix|Austria]], Gibernau finished sixth after starting down in twelfth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/927298/1/di-meglio-storms-wet-austria-motoe-win|title=Di Meglio storms to wet Austria MotoE win|date=August 11, 2019|website=Crash}}</ref> After the season, Gibernau was not retained for the [[2020 MotoE season|2020 season]] and retired from professional racing for the third time.

==Personal life==
Presently residing in Switzerland, Gibernau is well-educated, fluently speaking Spanish, Catalan, Italian and English, and some French and German. His hobbies include cycling and water-skiing.

Gibernau's ex-wife is the Spanish supermodel [[Esther Canadas|Esther Cañadas]]. She was always supportive of Gibernau and could often be seen in the pit-garage during races, cheering him on. He formerly rode with a number 15 good-luck charm, but rode with a charm given to him by Cañadas when they became a couple. However, after one year of marriage, they announced their separation in mid-2008.

Like most riders, he is superstitious—such as always putting his right boot on first.

==Career statistics==

===Career highlights===
* 1990 - Debut in the "Gilera Cup" Championship.
* 1991 - Junior Champion in the Spanish and Catalan Regional Championship.
* 1992 - European Championship, 250cc class. Took part in the Spanish GP race as a wild card in the 250cc class.
* 1993 - Third classified in the Spanish Championship, 250cc class.
* 1994 - Fifth classified in the Spanish Championship, 250cc class.
* 1995 - Third classified in the Spanish Championship, 250cc class.
* 1996 - Twenty-first classified in the World Championship, 250cc class.
* 1997 - Thirteenth classified in the World Championship, 500cc class, Yamaha Team Rainey.
* 1998 - Eleventh classified in the World Championship, 500cc class, Repsol Honda Team.
* 1999 - Fifth classified in the World Championship, 500cc class, Repsol Honda Team.
* 2000 - Fifteenth classified in the World Championship, 500cc class, Repsol Honda Team.

===Grand Prix motorcycle racing===
====By season====
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:right"
|-
!Season
!Class
!Motorcycle
!Team
!Race
!Win
!Podium
![[Pole position|Pole]]
!FLap
!Pts
!Plcd
|-
! {{MGP|1992}}
| 250cc
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha YZR250]]
| 
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || NC
|-
! {{MGP|1993}}
| 250cc
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha TZ250]]
| Marlboro Team Roberts
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || NC
|-
! {{MGP|1994}}
| 250cc
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
| 
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || NC
|-
! {{MGP|1995}}
| 250cc
| [[Honda NSR250]]
| [[Pons Racing|Fortuna Honda Pons]]
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || NC
|-
!rowspan="2" | {{MGP|1996}}
|rowspan="2" | 250cc
| [[Honda]]
| 
| 12 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 12 || rowspan="2" | 22nd
|-
| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
|
| 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 8
|-
! {{MGP|1997}}
| 500cc
| [[Yamaha YZR500]]
| [[Yamaha Motor Racing|Yamaha Team]] [[Wayne Rainey|Rainey]]
| 15 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 56 || 13th
|-
! {{MGP|1998}}
| 500cc
| [[Honda NSR500V]]
| [[Repsol Honda]]
| 14 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 72 || 11th
|-
! {{MGP|1999}}
| 500cc
| [[Honda NSR500V]]
| [[Repsol Honda]]
| 15 || 0 || 4 || 0 || 2 || 165 || 5th
|-
! {{MGP|2000}}
| 500cc
| [[Honda NSR500]]
| [[Repsol Honda|Repsol YPF Honda Team]]
| 16 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 72 || 15th
|-
! {{MGP|2001}}
| 500cc
| [[Suzuki RGV500]]
| [[Suzuki MotoGP|Telefónica Movistar Suzuki]]
| 16 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 119 || 9th
|-
! {{MGP|2002}}
| MotoGP
| [[Suzuki GSV-R]]
| [[Suzuki MotoGP|Telefónica Movistar Suzuki]]
| 16 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 51 || 16th
|-
! {{MGP|2003}}
| MotoGP
| [[Honda RC211V]]
| [[Gresini Racing|Telefónica Movistar Honda]]
| 16 || 4 || 10 || 1 || 1 || 277 || style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2nd'''
|-
! {{MGP|2004}}
| MotoGP
| [[Honda RC211V]]
| [[Gresini Racing|Telefónica Movistar Honda MotoGP]]
| 16 || 4 || 10 || 5 || 3 || 257 || style="background:#dfdfdf;"| '''2nd'''
|-
! {{MGP|2005}}
| MotoGP
| [[Honda RC211V]]
| [[Gresini Racing|Movistar Honda MotoGP]]
| 17 || 0 || 4 || 5 || 1 || 150 || 7th
|-
! {{MGP|2006}}
| MotoGP
| [[Ducati Desmosedici|Ducati Desmosedici GP6]]
| [[Ducati Corse|Ducati Marlboro Team]]
| 12 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 95 || 13th
|-
! {{MGP|2009}}
| MotoGP
| [[Ducati Desmosedici|Ducati Desmosedici GP9]]
| [[Onde 2000|Grupo Francisco Hernando]]
| 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 12 || 19th
|-
! {{MGP|2019|MotoE}}
| MotoE
| [[Energica Ego#Ego Corsa|Energica Ego Corsa]]
| [[Pons Racing|Join Contract Pons 40]]
| 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 38 || 11th
|-
! colspan=4|Total
| '''184'''
| '''9'''
| '''30'''
| '''13'''
| '''8'''
| '''1384'''
|
|}

====By class====
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:right;"
|-
!Class
!Seasons
!1st GP
!1st Pod
!1st Win
!Race
!Win
!Podiums
![[Pole position|Pole]]
!FLap
!Pts
|-
! 250cc
| 1992–1996
| align="left"| [[1992 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|1992 Spain]]
| align="left"| 
| align="left"| 
| 19 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 20
|-
! 500cc
| 1997–2001
| align="left"| [[1997 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|1997 Malaysia]]
| align="left"| [[1998 Madrid motorcycle Grand Prix|1998 Madrid]]
| align="left"| [[2001 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|2001 Valencia]]
| 76 || 1 || 6 || 1 || 3 || 484
|-
! MotoGP
| 2002–2006, 2009
| align="left"| [[2002 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|2002 Japan]]
| align="left"| [[2003 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|2003 South Africa]]
| align="left"| [[2003 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|2003 South Africa]]
| 83 || 8 || 24 || 12 || 5 || 842
|-
! MotoE
| 2019
| align="left"| [[2019 German motorcycle Grand Prix|2019 German]]
| align="left"| 
| align="left"| 
| 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 38
|-
! Total
! colspan=4|1992–2006, 2009, 2019
| '''184'''
| '''9'''
| '''30'''
| '''13'''
| '''8'''
| '''1384'''
|}

====Races by year<ref name="Sete Gibernau at MotoGP.com"/>====
([[Template:Motorsport driver results legend|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position, races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
! Year
! Class
! Bike
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! Pos
! Pts
|-
!align="left"| [[1992 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1992]]
!align="left"| 250cc
!align="left"| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
| [[1992 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]
| [[1992 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]
| [[1992 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1992 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>27</small>
| [[1992 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1992 European motorcycle Grand Prix|EUR]]
| [[1992 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1992 Dutch TT|NED]]
| [[1992 Hungarian motorcycle Grand Prix|HUN]]
| [[1992 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1992 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1992 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]
| [[1992 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|RSA]]
|
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
!align="left"| [[1993 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1993]]
!align="left"| 250cc
!align="left"| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
| [[1993 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]
| [[1993 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]
| [[1993 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]
| [[1993 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]
| [[1993 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUT]]
| [[1993 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1993 Dutch TT|NED]]
| [[1993 European motorcycle Grand Prix|EUR]]
| [[1993 San Marino motorcycle Grand Prix|RSM]]
| [[1993 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1993 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]
| [[1993 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1993 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|USA]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1993 FIM motorcycle Grand Prix|FIM]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
!align="left"| [[1994 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1994]]
!align="left"| 250cc
!align="left"| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
| [[1994 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]
| [[1994 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]
| [[1994 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]
| [[1994 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]
| [[1994 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUT]]
| [[1994 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1994 Dutch TT|NED]]
| [[1994 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1994 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1994 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1994 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]
| [[1994 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|USA]]
| [[1994 Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix|ARG]]
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1994 European motorcycle Grand Prix|EUR]]<br><small>21</small>
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
!align="left"| [[1995 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1995]]
!align="left"| 250cc
!align="left"| [[Honda]]
| [[1995 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]
| [[1995 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]
| [[1995 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]
| [[1995 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]
| [[1995 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[1995 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]
| [[1995 Dutch TT|NED]]
| [[1995 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]
| [[1995 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[1995 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]
| [[1995 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]
| [[1995 Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix|ARG]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1995 European motorcycle Grand Prix|EUR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
!rowspan=2| [[1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1996]]
!align="left" rowspan=2| 250cc
!align="left"| [[Honda]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1996 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1996 Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix|INA]]<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1996 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>20</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1996 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1996 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>24</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1996 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1996 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1996 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>19</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1996 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1996 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUT]]<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1996 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1996 City of Imola motorcycle Grand Prix|IMO]]<br><small>18</small>
|
|
|
|
|
!rowspan=2| 22nd
!rowspan=2| 20
|-
!align="left"| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1996 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1996 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1996 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|
|
|-
!align="left"| [[1997 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1997]]
!align="left"| 500cc
!align="left"| [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1997 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1997 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1997 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1997 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1997 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUT]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1997 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>13</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1997 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>19</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1997 City of Imola motorcycle Grand Prix|IMO]]<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1997 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1997 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1997 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1997 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1997 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1997 Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix|INA]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1997 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>6</small>
|
|
! 13th
! 56
|-
!align="left"| [[1998 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1998]]
!align="left"| 500cc
!align="left"| [[Honda]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1998 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1998 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1998 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1998 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1998 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1998 Madrid motorcycle Grand Prix|MAD]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1998 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1998 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1998 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1998 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1998 City of Imola motorcycle Grand Prix|IMO]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1998 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1998 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1998 Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix|ARG]]<br><small>9</small>
|
|
|
! 11th
! 72
|-
!align="left"| [[1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1999]]
!align="left"| 500cc
!align="left"| [[Honda]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1999 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ''[[1999 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]''<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1999 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>3</small>
| [[1999 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>DNS</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 City of Imola motorcycle Grand Prix|IMO]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ''[[1999 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|RSA]]''<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1999 Argentine motorcycle Grand Prix|ARG]]<br><small>6</small>
|
! 5th
! 165
|-
!align="left"| [[2000 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2000]]
!align="left"| 500cc
!align="left"| [[Honda]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''[[2000 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|RSA]]'''<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2000 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2000 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2000 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2000 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|POR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2000 Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix|PAC]]<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2000 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|
! 15th
! 72
|-
!align="left"| [[2001 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2001]]
!align="left"| 500cc
!align="left"| [[Suzuki]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2001 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|RSA]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2001 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|POR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''[[2001 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL]]''<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix|PAC]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2001 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]<br><small>12</small>
|
! 9th
! 119
|-
!align="left"| [[2002 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2002]]
!align="left"| MotoGP
!align="left"| [[Suzuki]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2002 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[2002 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|RSA]]<br><small>16</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2002 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2002 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2002 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2002 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2002 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2002 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2002 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2002 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2002 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|POR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2002 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2002 Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix|PAC]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2002 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2002 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2002 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL]]<br><small>13</small>
|
! 16th
! 51
|-
!align="left"| [[2003 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2003]]
!align="left"| MotoGP
!align="left"| [[Honda]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2003 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''[[2003 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|RSA]]'''<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2003 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[2003 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2003 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[2003 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''[[2003 Dutch TT|NED]]''<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[2003 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[2003 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[2003 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2003 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|POR]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[2003 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2003 Pacific motorcycle Grand Prix|PAC]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[2003 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2003 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[2003 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL]]<br><small>2</small>
|
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 277
|-
!align="left"| [[2004 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2004]]
!align="left"| MotoGP
!align="left"| [[Honda]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[2004 South African motorcycle Grand Prix|RSA]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| ''[[2004 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]''<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''[[2004 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]'''<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''''[[2004 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]'''''<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''''[[2004 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]'''''<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[2004 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2004 Brazilian motorcycle Grand Prix|BRA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2004 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[2004 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''[[2004 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]'''<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2004 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|POR]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2004 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[2004 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|QAT]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2004 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''[[2004 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]'''<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2004 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL]]<br><small>4</small>
|
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 257
|-
!align="left"| [[2005 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2005]]
!align="left"| MotoGP
!align="left"| [[Honda]]
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[2005 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2005 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|POR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| '''[[2005 Chinese motorcycle Grand Prix|CHN]]'''<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[2005 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2005 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''[[2005 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]'''<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2005 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2005 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|USA]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2005 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ''[[2005 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]''<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''[[2005 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]'''<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2005 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2005 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2005 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|QAT]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2005 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| '''[[2005 Turkish motorcycle Grand Prix|TUR]]'''<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''[[2005 Valencian Community Grand Prix|VAL]]'''<br><small>Ret</small>
! 7th
! 150
|-
!align="left"| [[2006 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2006]]
!align="left"| MotoGP
!align="left"| [[Ducati]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2006 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|QAT]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 Turkish motorcycle Grand Prix|TUR]]<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 Chinese motorcycle Grand Prix|CHN]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| '''[[2006 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]'''<br><small>5</small>
| [[2006 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>DNS</small>
| [[2006 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small></small>
| [[2006 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]<br><small></small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|USA]]<br><small>10</small>
| [[2006 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]<br><small></small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2006 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2006 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|POR]]<br><small>Ret</small>
| [[2006 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL]] <br><small></small>
! 13th
! 95
|-
!align="left"| [[2009 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|2009]]
!align="left"| MotoGP
!align="left"| [[Ducati]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2009 Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix|QAT]]<br><small>13</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2009 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|JPN]]<br><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2009 Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix|SPA]]<br><small>11</small>
| [[2009 French motorcycle Grand Prix|FRA]]<br><small></small>
| [[2009 Italian motorcycle Grand Prix|ITA]]<br><small></small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2009 Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix|CAT]]<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[2009 Dutch TT|NED]]<br><small>13</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[2009 United States motorcycle Grand Prix|USA]]<br><small>Ret</small>
| [[2009 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]
| [[2009 British motorcycle Grand Prix|GBR]]
| [[2009 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|CZE]]
| [[2009 Indianapolis motorcycle Grand Prix|INP]]
| [[2009 San Marino and Rimini's Coast motorcycle Grand Prix|SMR]]
| [[2009 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|POR]]
| [[2009 Australian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUS]]
| [[2009 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|MAL]]
| [[2009 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL]]
! 19th
! 12
|-
!align="left" |[[2019 MotoE season|2019]]
!align="left" |MotoE
!align="left" |[[Energica Motor Company|Energica]]
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[2019 German motorcycle Grand Prix|GER]]<br/><small>9</small>
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[2019 Austrian motorcycle Grand Prix|AUT]]<br/><small>6</small>
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[2019 San Marino and Rimini's Coast motorcycle Grand Prix|RSM1]]<br/><small>9</small>
|style="background:#efcfff;"| [[2019 San Marino and Rimini's Coast motorcycle Grand Prix|RSM2]]<br/><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[2019 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL1]]<br/><small>11</small>
|style="background:#dfffdf;"| [[2019 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|VAL2]]<br/><small>7</small>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
! 11th
! 38
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{sports links}}
*[http://www.setegibernau.com/ Official website] in Spanish and English versions.

{{Suzuki MotoGP}}
{{Onde 2000}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gibernau, Sete}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Spanish motorcycle racers]]
[[Category:Gresini Racing MotoGP riders]]
[[Category:Ducati Corse MotoGP riders]]
[[Category:Suzuki MotoGP riders]]
[[Category:500cc World Championship riders]]
[[Category:250cc World Championship riders]]
[[Category:Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland]]
[[Category:Motorcycle racers from Barcelona]]
[[Category:MotoGP World Championship riders]]
[[Category:MotoE World Cup riders]]
[[Category:Motorcycle racers from Catalonia]]