Carlos Tatay (born 7 May 2003) is a Spanish motorcycle rider who last competed in the 2023 FIM CEV Moto2 European Championship for the Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team. He previously competed in the Moto3 class in the motorcycle world championship with Prüstel GP and is also a previous winner of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, having won the title in 2019.[1]
In July 2023, Tatay suffered multiple injuries, including spinal cord damage, in a serious crash at the Algarve International Circuit.[2] As of November 2023, he remains in recovery and is receiving physiotherapy.[3]
Tatay debuted in the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship mid-way through the 2018 season, ultimately finishing in 24th place. He also took part in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2018, winning in just his second race, and finishing the season in 5th place with 4 podiums and 148 points total.
In 2019, Tatay again completed double-duty in both series. In CEV Moto3, he won 4 races and finished 2nd in the championship, while in the 2019 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, Tatay won 4 races, finishing on the podium in 9 of the first 10 races, clinching the championship win.[1] Having secured the championship at the penultimate round in Misano, Tatay missed the season finale double-header in Aragon, as he was promoted to a wildcard slot in the Moto3 world championship race there.[4]
Tatay made his grand prix debut in 2019 as a wildcard rider in the Catalan grand prix, where he finished 12th. He repeated this result in his second entry at the Aragon grand prix. His point-scoring performances in his first two debut races earned him a full-season in the 2020 championship with Avintia.[4]
Riding full time in the 2020 Moto3 World Championship for the Avintia Esponsorama Racing team as the lone rider, Tatay had an up and down year. He finished in the points six times, twice in the top 10 (France and Valencia), but also crashed out twice (Jerez and Barcelona). His season's best result was a 6th place finish in Valencia, overall scoring 26 points, finishing 22nd in the standings.
Staying with the Avintia Esponsorama team for the 2021 season, this time partnered by Niccolò Antonelli, Tatay basically replicated his 2020 season: he finished with 6 point scoring races, a season high best result of 6th (this time in Jerez), and 21st in the standings, with 40 points. Tatay was not given a new contract by the team following the season.
In 2022, Tatay moved to the CFMoto Prüstel GP team.[5] He finished 15th in the championship, taking his first pole and podium at the 2022 Indonesian motorcycle Grand Prix.
In 2023, he competed in the FIM Moto2 European Championship. for the Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team. On June 4 Tatay took his first victory at Jerez.[6] On July 2 Tatay sustained serious injuries in a high-speed crash at Portimao, with an unknown prognosis.[7] In October, it was revealed that Tatay, using a wheelchair and suffering from an incomplete spinal cord injury,[8] is struggling to pay his hospital bills as the Spanish and Valencian motorcycle federations are involved in a legal battle over insurance coverage.[2][9][10]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Tatay comes from Alaquàs in the Valencian Community. He is an only child. He cites his racing idols as Marc Márquez, Maverick Viñales, Johann Zarco and Aleix Espargaró.[3][11]
