Lorenzo switches to 99
Added on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
Lorenzo switches to 99
Jorge Lorenzo has traded his number 48 plate to number 99 for the 2009 season as the FIM released the provisional MotoGP entry list for the new season.
The Spaniard gave up his number 48 plate at the end of the season following a split with manager Dani Amatriain, allowing the Spanish supporters to vote on what his number should be for 2009.
Left with the choice of numbers 23 and 99, the Spanish voted for the latter and the 21-year-old will ride with the highest number in the championship next season.
Other plate changes see former world champion Casey Stoner give up the number one plate as he reverts back to number 27, although defending champion Valentino Rossi will keep his traditional number 46 whilst Honda’s Dani Pedrosa has dropped down from number two to number three, one above his new teammate Andrea Dovisiozo.
Sete Gibernau takes up plate number 59 as his preferred number, 15, was already being used by Alex de Angelis whilst of the other new riders, Mika Kallio takes number 36, Yuki Takahashi has number 72 and Niccolo Canepa will ride with number 88.
In the 125cc class, Bradley Smith keeps his number 38 after moving to the factory Aprilia team, Scott Redding will ride with number 45 whilst Matthew Hoyle (66) and Danny Webb (99) make up the British contingent.
3. DANI PEDROSA, REPSOL HONDA TEAM
4. ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, REPSOL HONDA TEAM
5. COLIN EDWARDS, TECH 3 YAMAHA
7. CHRIS VERMEULEN, RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP
14. RANDY DE PUNIET, LCR HONDA MOTOGP
15. ALEX DE ANGELIS, SAN CARLO HONDA GRESINI
21. JOHN HOPKINS, KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
24. TONI ELIAS, SAN CARLO HONDA GRESINI
27. CASEY STONER, DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM
33. MARCO MELANDRI, KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
36. MIKA KALLIO, PRAMAC RACING
46. VALENTINO ROSSI, FIAT YAMAHA TEAM
52. JAMES TOSELAND, TECH 3 YAMAHA
59. SETE GIBERNAU, GRUPO FRANCISCO HERNANDO
65. LORIS CAPIROSSI, RIZLA SUZUKI MOTOGP
69. NICKY HAYDEN, DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM
72. YUKI TAKAHASHI, SCOT RACING TEAM MOTOGP
88. NICCOLO CANEPA, PRAMAC RACING
99. JORGE LORENZO, FIAT YAMAHA TEAM
