Report. Inside the circus

A GP sunday with Toni Elias
From 7.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. This is how Toni prepares a race, minute by minute
7.00 ‘The alarm clock rings, but it takes me a lot to get up so it’s always my mother who ends up telling me that sleeping time is over. There’s no option, so I turn on the music, usually U2, Roxette, Los Secretos, Bon Jovi or Celine Dion, and I take a shower to wake up completely.’7.30 – 8.00 ‘I have breakfast in my motorhome, always with music in the background. My breakfast consists of bread with tomato, ham, cheese, sausage with a good and fresh Coca-Cola. Coffey not even from a distance, it makes me nervous and it would be unwise for a day like this.’8.00 – 8.30 ‘I go to the garage to meet my technicians and Quique, the chief of mechanics to finish details and talk about the setting and tuning of the bike. We already talked about it the day before but there’s always something left or something that came to my mind at night and I want to ask them or confirm.’8.30 – 9.20 ‘I usually go back to the motorhome to concentrate, I watch the 125cc warm-up on TV and make some stretching and warm-up exercises. I put on my leathers and go to the garage to get ready for the warm-up.’9.30 – 9.50 ‘Last chance to check the changes made on the bike and also to verify that everything is working perfectly. The twenty minutes of the session are also good to brighten up and get back the rhythm on the bike. Once the warm-up is finished I usually practice a start to check if the clutch is working well.’9.50 – 10.15 ‘Last comments with Quique. Everything is ready for the race and I go back to my motorhome. I change clothes and eat something light, the last thing I’ll eat until after the race. It’s usually some pasta or fruit, but very little, because I’m usually not hungry on Sunday.’11.00 – 11.45 ‘I go to the Clinica Mobile and relax for an hour. I usually have a massage, warm up the muscles of the body that work most, I do some stretching, and I use the time to watch the start of the 125cc race. I usually meet some other 250cc riders as well as some MotoGP riders there.’11.45 – 12.10 ‘I go back to my motorhome and watch the end of the 125cc race. There’s always music in the background, because it relaxes me a lot. I do more stretching and begin to dress: first the inner suit of synthetic fibre, then the leathers, the boots and… ready for the battle! The moment I get dressed is the moment I’m most nervous, but it’s only a question of a short time, the nervousness disappears and I concentrate for the race.’12.10 – 12.15 ‘I go to the box, I’m calm and concentrated. I only hear the words of the people of my team. If somebody comes to say hello I answer, but my head is already somewhere else. Last stretching, I put on my helmet, the gloves and get ready to start.’12.15 ‘Pit lane is open, I get on my bike, onto the track, heading for the starting grid. The whole work of the weekend, everything that has happened, is left behind and now; the only thing that counts is the start and the race. I do the sighting lap, check the track and that the bike is working well. It’s important to look at the working temperature of the engine, because the mechanics are going to ask for it at the grid.’12.20 ‘I keep concentrated on the grid and talk to my mechanics. I’m not nervous but I isolate myself from the rest bit by bit.’12.25 ‘Warm-up lap. I start slowly in order not to ill-treat the clutch. I’m usually one of the slowest but then I get faster to get racing rhythm and avoid cooling down the tyres. I arrive at the grid, and the only thing I think about is the starting light and making a good start.’12.30 ‘The starting lights go on, off and I leave the grid quickly. The first lap is the worst and the most delicate one. If you’re the first to start, good, but if not, you have to be very careful because many of the others start very nervous. It’s the moment with the highest tension. From the second lap on people get rhythm and the tension of the first instant decreases. The race strategy begins.’