Alex De Angelis Motorcycle racer from San Marino. Date of Birth: 26.02.1984 Country: Italy

1. Origins in San Marino
2. Early Career Success
3. Seasons in the 125cc Class
4. Transition to the 250cc Class
5. MotoGP and Moto2
6. Tragic Incident at San Marino

Origins in San Marino

Alex de Angelis, a motorcycle racer hailing from San Marino, comes from a family with a deep passion for motorsports. His father, Vinicio, was an amateur rally driver who instilled in his sons a love for competitive racing from a young age. Both Alex and his brother William began competing in motorcycle races at an early age, eventually rising through the ranks to the junior classes of the World Grand Prix Championship.

Early Career Success

De Angelis's racing career took off at a faster pace than his older brother's. A series of impressive performances in the Italian Minimoto Championship and the Honda 125cc Monocup gradually established him as a top talent in Italian motorcycling. In 1999, he began regularly competing in the 125cc class, securing second place in the Italian Championship and seventh in the European Championship. September of that year marked his debut in the Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship, riding for Honda in the 125cc class at the home race in Imola. He then secured a full-fledged deal for the 2000 season.

Seasons in the 125cc Class

De Angelis spent four seasons in the 125cc class, steadily improving his consistency and regularly finishing on the podium. In 2003, he achieved his highest championship ranking, finishing second overall. However, his lack of race victories kept him from seriously contending for the title. Seeking better fortunes, he switched to Aprilia bikes for the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

Transition to the 250cc Class

2004 marked De Angelis's move to the 250cc class, where he would remain for four seasons. His partnership with Aprilia continued, allowing him to immediately challenge for podiums. By 2006, he had reached peak form, regularly finishing on the podium and claiming his first Grand Prix victory at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia. Title shots in the 250cc class eluded him, as he finished third overall twice, behind Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso.

MotoGP and Moto2

In 2008, the trio of De Angelis, Lorenzo, and Dovizioso moved to the premier MotoGP class. While the Spaniard and Italian established themselves in the top category, De Angelis struggled, spending only two seasons in MotoGP before bouncing between MotoGP and the new Moto2 class, which had replaced 250cc in 2009. His best year in MotoGP came in 2009, when he finished tenth overall and earned his sole podium finish, a second-place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In Moto2, De Angelis had a strong showing during his 2011 full season, finishing fourth overall. He also claimed race victories in Moto2, including two Australian Grands Prix (2010 and 2012) and one Malaysian Grand Prix (2012).

Tragic Incident at San Marino

De Angelis was involved in a devastating accident at the 2010 San Marino Grand Prix. He and Scott Redding indirectly caused the death of Shoya Tomizawa when the Japanese rider crashed in front of them. De Angelis and Redding had no time to avoid a collision, sending Tomizawa to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.