.12
.THE RIDERS
. MotoGP
. JORGE LORENZO
. SPAIN/FIAT YAMAHA
It is apt that double 250cc world champion Jorge Lorenzo partly shares a pit-garage with
Valentino Rossi for his maiden MotoGP attempt, considering the confi dent Spaniard’s
potential for domination and his tendency towards post-race theatrics. Jorge is seen as
the key future star of the competition by more than just his followers. With 17 Grand Prix
wins Jorge is the most successful Spanish 250cc rider ever. He won nine races in 2007,
more than half the 250cc calendar, and all were taken from pole position.
. SYLVAIN GUINTOLI
. FRANCE/ALICE
Sylvain began his career racing scooters before moving up to become one of the top
privateers competing in the 250cc class from 2001 to 2006. Riding Aprilia machinery he
took a Championship best of 9th in 2006. He made a strong impression in 2007, despite
only entering the top ten on two occasions from seventeen GPs. One of those results
was an excellent fourth position in Japan. 2008 will be the fi rst time Guintoli has raced
for Ducati.
. JAMES TOSELAND
. GREAT BRITAIN/TECH 3 YAMAHA
The 2007 World Superbike Champion is the only British rider in MotoGP this year.
Toseland captured the production-based title before, in 2004, and at the age of 27 knew
that the time was right to try his hand at MotoGP. Toseland will be hoping to erase a poor
2007 for Great Britain where, for the fi rst time in the history of the premier-class, a rider
from the UK did not score a world championship point. Armed with 2008-spec machinery
and the homely Tech3 Yamaha set-up, the British racer carries the hopes of a nation.
. SHINYA NAKANO
. JAPAN/SAN CARLO HONDA GRESINI
With six seasons in MotoGP and nine at World Championship level, Shinya Nakano is one
of the older generation. Articulate and amiable, Shinya has been a top ten regular for more
than half a decade and negotiates a second year with Honda. Nakano is the third most
experienced rider in the MotoGP class this season. 2007 was his leanest season yet in the
category as he made the top ten on only three occasions and was seventeenth overall.
. LORIS CAPRIOSSI
. ITALY/SUZUKI.
Three World Championships, wins in every class, and 29 Grand Prix victories in an
18-year period means that Loris Capirossi is now the elder statesman of MotoGP and
the most experienced racer on the grid. Capirossi holds the record for the longest
winning career in Grand Prix with more than 17 years covering the time from his fi rst
GP win (Great Britain, 125cc) to his 2007 victory in Japan. He has fi nished outside of a
Championship top ten only once in 17 years.
. NICKY HAYDEN
. USA/REPSOL HONDA
As the 2006 MotoGP World Champion, Hayden was the last winner in the 990cc era
before the change to 800cc engine regulations in 2007. A dedicated approach and
consistency ensured that Hayden was the USA’s seventh number one in the premier
class during ’06. Nicky fi nished 8th in his title defense and initially had diffi culty adapting
to the high-corner speed emphasis of the 800cc machines. He starts his sixth season with
the Repsol Honda team in 2008.
(13 pages)
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