Nephew to Angel Nieto, 'Fonsi' broke into World Championship with 250 machines in 1999, after impressing the Antena 3 Yamaha D'Antin team with his championships in the Spanish Junior Championship on 125s and 250s. Nieto’s first podium came in 2001 in Valencia and in 2002 he finished second in the 250cc championship to Marco Melandri. Nieto was not able to keep up that form in 2003, with six podiums and only one win seeing him drop to fifth in the standings. The following year, the Spaniard’s last full season in Grand Prix racing, would be less successful in terms of results, with third place in Jerez his only podium. Nieto had his first – and only – ride in the MotoGP class in 2007, finishing 11th place onboard a Kawasaki in France.