DNF of the season after he crashed out. On 12 July 2009 the Grupo 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. Gibernau finished nineteenth in the championship with 12 points, 294 points behind the champion Valentino Rossi and 249 points behind runner-up Jorge Lorenzo. Valentino Rossi has mentioned Casey Stoner, followed by Gibernau as his hardest rivals ever. 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. At the inaugural MotoE race in Germany, Gibernau finished in ninth place. At the second round in Austria, Gibernau finished sixth after starting down in twelfth. After the season, Gibernau was not retained for the 2020 season and retired from professional racing for the third time. Personal life Presently residing in Switzerland, Gibernau is well-educated, fluently 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 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