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Biographical rider entry list for MotoGP in 2017


© Empics / PA Photos

By Dan Moakes
April 21 2017

The 2017 FIM MotoGP World Championship series: The new season of racing commenced in Qatar, with Honda factory rider Marc Márquez looking for his fourth title in five years as he started the defence of his 2016 crown.  Here are the essential details on who’s who among the riders this year.

The 2017 FIM MotoGP World Championship:
MotoGP’s 1000cc four-stroke engine formula continues for the year ahead, with Grand Prix motorcycle racing’s premier class now seeing as many as six different manufacturers on the grid, as KTM joins the party following the recent returns from Suzuki and Aprilia.

As ever, there is no shortage of experience and talent amongst the latest contingent of riders, with three previous MotoGP champions on the grid: Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Márquez. Further MotoGP race winners within the field are regular title contender Dani Pedrosa, plus Andrea Dovizioso and the four men to achieve breakthrough wins in 2016: Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Iannone, Jack Miller and Maverick Viñales.

In all, the rider line-up includes as many as twenty Grand Prix winners and twelve World Champions, and with four graduates to the premier class this year, all coming in from Moto2: Jonas Folger, Sam Lowes, Álex Rins and Johann Zarco. Here is a biographical rundown for all the contenders.

Valentino Rossi, Italy
age 38 · first GP 1996
racing number: 46
GP entries: 350, total points: 5667
GP wins: 114 (125cc 12 · 250cc 14 · 500cc 13 · MotoGP 75)
GP podium results: 221 (185 in 500cc-MotoGP)
World Champion: 125cc 1997 · 250cc 1999 · 500cc 2001 · MotoGP 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009
National Champion*: Italian 125cc 1995
also: a race winner in World Endurance

Dani Pedrosa, Spain
age 31 · first GP 2001
racing number: 26
GP entries: 266, total points: 3835
GP wins: 52 (125cc 8 · 250cc 15 · MotoGP 29)
GP podium results: 144 (103 in MotoGP)
World Champion: 125cc 2003 · 250cc 2004, 2005
best season in MotoGP: 2nd 2007, 2010, 2012

Andrea Dovizioso, Italy
age 31 · first GP 2001
racing number: 04
GP entries: 259, total points: 2861
GP wins: 11 (125cc 5 · 250cc 4 · MotoGP 2)
GP podium results: 75 (34 in MotoGP)
World Champion: 125cc 2004
best season in MotoGP: 3rd 2011
European Champion: 125cc 2001

Jorge Lorenzo, Spain
age 29 · first GP 2002
racing number: 99
GP entries: 253, total points: 3647
GP wins: 65 (125cc 4 · 250cc 17 · MotoGP 44)
GP podium results: 145 (107 in MotoGP)
World Champion: 250cc 2006, 2007 · MotoGP 2010, 2012, 2015

Héctor Barberá, Spain
age 30 · first GP 2002
racing number: 8
GP entries: 247, total points: 1697
GP wins: 10 (125cc 6 · 250cc 4)
GP podium results: 32 (none in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 4th
best season in MotoGP: 10th 2016
best season in GPs: 2nd 2004 125cc & 2009 250cc
National Champion*: Spanish 125cc 2002

Álvaro Bautistá, Spain
age 32 · first GP 2002
racing number: 19
GP entries: 242, total points: 1891
GP wins: 16 (125cc 8 · 250cc 8)
GP podium results: 49 (3 in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 3rd
World Champion: 125cc 2006
best season in MotoGP: 5th 2012
National Champion*: Spanish 125cc 2003

Aleix Espargaró, Spain
age 27 · first GP 2004
racing number: 41
GP entries: 197, total points: 865
GP podium results: 2 (1 in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 2nd
best season in MotoGP: 7th 2014
National Champion*: Spanish 125cc 2004

Andrea Iannone, Italy
age 27 · first GP 2005
racing number: 29
GP entries: 197, total points: 1320.5
GP wins: 13 (125cc 4 · Moto2 8 · MotoGP 1)
GP podium results: 31 (7 in MotoGP)
best season in MotoGP: 5th 2015
best season in GPs: 3rd 2010, 2011, 2012 Moto2

Tito Rabat, Spain
age 27 · first GP 2005
racing number: 53
GP entries: 180, total points: 1332
GP wins: 13 (Moto2)
GP podium results: 36 (none in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 9th
best season in MotoGP: 21st 2016
World Champion: Moto2 2014

Karel Abraham, Czech Republic
age 27 · first GP 2005
racing number: 17
GP entries: 171, total points: 410
GP wins: 1 (Moto2)
GP podium results: 2 (none in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 7th
best season in MotoGP: 14th 2011, 2012
best season in GPs: 10th 2010 Moto2

National Champion*: Czech 125cc c.2003

Bradley Smith, England
age 26 · first GP 2006
racing number: 38
GP entries: 184, total points: 1427.5
GP wins: 3 (125cc)
GP podium results: 25 (2 in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 2nd
best season in MotoGP: 6th 2015
best season in GPs: 2nd 2009 125cc
also: a race winner in World Endurance

Pol Espargaró, Spain
age 25 · first GP 2006
racing number: 44
GP entries: 177, total points: 1700.5
GP wins: 15 (125cc 5 · Moto2 10)
GP podium results: 44 (none in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 4th
World Champion: Moto2 2013
best season in MotoGP: 6th 2014
National Champion*: Spanish 125cc 2006
also: a race winner in World Endurance

Scott Redding, England
age 24 · first GP 2008
racing number: 45
GP entries: 155, total points: 945.5
GP wins: 4 (125cc 1 · Moto2 3)
GP podium results: 17 (2 in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 3rd
best season in MotoGP: 12th 2014
best season in GPs: 2nd 2013 Moto2

Marc Márquez, Spain
age 24 · first GP 2008
racing number: 93
GP entries: 152, total points: 2278
GP wins: 55 (125cc 10 · Moto2 16 · MotoGP 29)
GP podium results: 90 (51 in MotoGP)
World Champion: 125cc 2010 · Moto2 2012 · MotoGP 2013, 2014, 2016

Jonas Folger, Germany
age 23 · first GP 2008
racing number: 94
GP entries: 140, total points: 973
GP wins: 5 (125cc 1 · Moto3 1 · Moto2 3)
GP podium results: 23 (none in MotoGP)
best season in GPs: 5th 2013 Moto3

Johann Zarco, France
age 26 · first GP 2009
racing number: 5
GP entries: 138, total points: 1378.5
GP wins: 16 (125cc 1 · Moto2 15)
GP podium results: 41 (none in MotoGP)
World Champion: Moto2 2015, 2016
also: winner of the Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2007

Cal Crutchlow, England
age 31 · first GP 2011
racing number: 35
GP entries: 107, total points: 749
GP wins: 2 (MotoGP)
GP podium results: 12 (all in MotoGP)
World Champion: Supersport 2009
best season in MotoGP: 5th 2013
National Champion*: British Supersport 2006
also: race wins in World Superbike

Maverick Viñales, Spain
age 22 · first GP 2011
racing number: 25
GP entries: 105, total points: 1351
GP wins: 17 (125cc 4 · Moto3 8 · Moto2 4 · MotoGP 1)
GP podium results: 44 (4 in MotoGP)
World Champion: Moto3 2013
best season in MotoGP: 4th 2016
European Champion: 125cc 2010
National Champion*: Spanish 125cc 2010

Álex Rins, Spain
age 21 · first GP 2012
racing number: 42
GP entries: 88, total points: 1137
GP wins: 12 (Moto3 8 · Moto2 4)
GP podium results: 40 (none in MotoGP)
best season in GPs: 2nd 2013 Moto3 & 2015 Moto2
National Champion*: Spanish 125cc 2011

Danilo Petrucci, Italy
age 26 · first GP 2012
racing number: 9
GP entries: 84, total points: 258
GP podium results: 1 (1 in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 2nd
best season in MotoGP: 10th 2015
also: a race winner in European Stocksport 600

Jack Miller, Australia
age 22 · first GP 2012
racing number: 43
GP entries: 83, total points: 477
GP wins: 7 (Moto3 6 · MotoGP 1)
GP podium results: 11 (1 in MotoGP)
best season in MotoGP: 18th 2016
best season in GPs: 2nd 2014 Moto3

Sam Lowes, England
age 26 · first GP 2014
racing number: 22
GP entries: 54, total points: 430
GP wins: 3 (Moto2)
GP podium results: 11 (none in MotoGP)
World Champion: Supersport 2013
best season in GPs: 4th 2015 Moto2
National Champion*: British Supersport 2010

Loris Baz, France
age 24 · first GP 2015
racing number: 76
GP entries: 32, total points: 63
best MotoGP result: 4th
best season in MotoGP: 17th 2015
European Champion: Superstock 600cc 2008 · Junior Superstock 1000cc 2011
also: race wins in World Superbike and in World Endurance




* Winner of a national championship title at the most senior level



Possible substitute or wildcard riders:

Hiroshi Aoyama, Japan
age 35 · first GP 2000
racing number: 7
GP entries: 178, total points: 1353
GP wins: 9 (250cc)
GP podium results: 27 (none in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 4th
World Champion: 250cc 2009
best season in MotoGP: 10th 2011
National Champion*: All-Japan 250cc 2003

Mika Kallio, Finland
age 34 · first GP 2001
racing number: 36
GP entries: 236, total points: 1955
GP wins: 16 (125cc 7 · 250cc 5 · Moto2 4)
GP podium results: 49 (none in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 7th
best season in MotoGP: 15th 2009
best season in GPs: 2nd 2005, 2006 125cc & 2014 Moto2

Javier Forés, Spain
age 31 · first GP 2001
racing number: 12
GP entries: 12, total points: 0
best MotoGP result: DNF
best GP result: 16th (Moto2)
National Champion*: German Superbike 2014

Katsuyuki Nakasuga, Japan
age 35 · first GP 2002
racing number: 21
GP entries: 11, total points: 63
GP podium results: 1 (1 in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 2nd
best season in MotoGP: 18th 2011, 2012
National Champion*: All-Japan Superbike 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014
also: a race winner in World Endurance

Nicky Hayden, United States
age 35 · first GP 2003
racing number: 69
GP entries: 222, total points: 1698
GP wins: 3 (MotoGP)
GP podium results: 28 (all in MotoGP)
World Champion: MotoGP 2006
National Champion*: AMA Supersport 600cc 1999 · AMA Superbike 2002
also: a race winner in World Superbike

Michele Pirro, Italy
age 30 · first GP 2003
racing number: 51
GP entries: 93, total points: 254
GP wins: 1 (Moto2)
GP podium results: 2 (none in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 5th
best season in MotoGP: 13th 2013
best season in GPs: 9th 2011 Moto2
European Champion: 125cc 2004
National Champion*: Italian Superstock 2007, 2008
also: a race winner in World Supersport and in FIM Superstock 1000 Cup

Eugene Laverty, Northern Ireland
age 30 · first GP 2004
racing number: 50
GP entries: 67, total points: 100
best MotoGP result: 4th
best season in MotoGP: 13th 2016
also: race wins in World Superbike and World Supersport, runner-up overall in each series

Stefan Bradl, Germany
age 27 · first GP 2005
racing number: 6
GP entries: 178, total points: 1175
GP wins: 7 (125cc 2 · Moto2 5)
GP podium results: 19 (1 in MotoGP)
best MotoGP result: 2nd
World Champion: Moto2 2011
best season in MotoGP: 7th 2013
National Champion*: German 125cc 2005

Alex Lowes, England
age 26 · first GP 2006
racing number: 22
GP entries: 4, total points: 3
best MotoGP result: 13th
best season in MotoGP: 24th 2016
National Champion*: British Superbike 2013
also: a race winner in World Endurance

Yonny Hernández, Colombia
age 28 · first GP 2010
racing number: 68
GP entries: 119, total points: 253
best MotoGP result: 7th
best GP result: 6th (Moto2)
best season in MotoGP: 14th 2015

Mike Jones, Australia
age 23 · first GP 2016
racing number: 7
GP entries: 2, total points: 1
best MotoGP result: 15th
best season in MotoGP: 25th= 2016
National Champion*: Australian Superbike 2015


all figures correct at the end of the 2016 season


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