Antonio Cobas (Barcelona 1952 – April 14, 2004) was a Spanish

Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural ''Grands Prix'') most commonly refers to: * Grand Prix motor racing, a form of motorsport competition ** List of Formula One Grands Prix, an auto-racing championship *** Monaco Grand Prix, the most prestigious ...

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...

designer, constructor and

mechanic A mechanic is a skilled tradesperson who uses tools to build, maintain, or repair machinery, especially engines. Formerly, the term meant any member of the handicraft trades, but by the early 20th century, it had come to mean one who works w ...

who built

world championship A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...

winning motorcycles. Cobas was credited with being the originator of the modern, aluminum

frame A frame is often a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction and/or steel frame that limits the construction's extent. Frame and FRAME may also refer to: Physical objects In building construction *Framing (con ...

chassis now used on many modern racing and production motorcycles. In the early 1980s, racing motorcycles still used steel-tubed frames developed in the 1950s. As motorcycle engine and tire technology progressed, motorcycle frames became more and more stressed. In 1982, Cobas developed a stronger and lighter aluminum twin-beam chassis to replace the steel backbone frames. The technology was copied by major motorcycle manufacturers and by the 1990s, all the major racing teams in Grand Prix competition used the aluminum frame design pioneered by Cobas. Cobas began constructing racing motorcycles named Sirokas in 1978, which were successful in the Spanish road race national championships. In

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...

, he created the Kobas brand motorcycle designing his own chassis powered by

Rotax Rotax is the brand name for a range of internal combustion engines developed and manufactured by the Austrian company BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG (until 2016 BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co. KG), in turn owned by the Canadian Bombardier Recreational Prod ...

engines. Spanish rider Sito Pons rode a Kobas to a third place at the Finnish Grand Prix and followed that with a fourth place at the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix. The following year, Carlos Cardús won the 250cc European Championship riding a Kobas. In 1983, Cobas formed a new motorcycle company named JJ Cobas. Pons would ride a JJ Cobas motorcycle in the

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

250cc world championship, garnering their first Grand Prix victory with a win at the

Spanish Grand Prix The Spanish Grand Prix (, ) is a Formula One motor racing event currently held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The race is one of the oldest in the world still contested, celebrating its centenary in 2013. The race had modest beginnings ...

and, ended the season in fourth place in the championship. Even greater success came in

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

when a Cobas-designed motorcycle ridden by

Àlex Crivillé Àlex Crivillé Tapias (born 4 March 1970) is a Spanish former Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix motorcycle road racing, road racer. In 1992 he became the first Spaniard to win a 500cc Grand Prix and, in 1999 he became the first Spaniard ...

won the 125cc world championship. When Pons moved to the

Honda commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...

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racing team in

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...

, Cobas followed and served as Pons' crew chief. Pons retired as a competitor in

1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...

and created the Pons Racing team, naming Cobas as Technical Director. In this role, he prepared motorcycles ridden to Grand Prix victories by Alberto Puig and

Carlos Checa Carlos Checa Carrera (born 15 October 1972) is a Spanish former professional motorcycle road racer and winner of the 2011 Superbike World Championship. After racing in 500 cc and MotoGP for over a decade, mostly on Honda and Yamaha machine ...

. He also rejoined Crivillé during his world championship winning year in

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

. Cobas died in 2004 at the age of 52.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cobas, Antonio 1952 births 2004 deaths People from Barcelona Motorcycle designers Deaths from cancer in Spain