Jorge Lorenzo

Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo has been a force in MotoGP since his 2008 debut, becoming one of the most dominant Grand Prix riders in the paddock with his 2010 MotoGP championship victory.

Jorge Lorenzo stormed onto the 125cc scene in 2002 and worked his way up to being a title contender after only three seasons. He moved up to the 250 MotoGP class for 2004, finishing fourth in the championship that year. He went on to become one of the most dominant 250 riders over the next two seasons, and picked up a pair of 250 titles in '06 and '07. After proving his skills in the 125 and 250 class, there was only one thing left for him to do: Step-up to the big leagues.

For 2008 the Spanish sensation moved up to the MotoGP paddock in order to see where he stood amongst the world's best. In his MotoGP debut with the Fiat Yamaha squad, Lorenzo was paired with teammate and five-time MotoGP Champion, Valentino Rossi. Yamaha was nice enough to build a wall in the garage between the two teammates, as it was widely rumored the two did not get along.

It was a very up and down rookie year for Lorenzo. He started well, taking a victory in his third race and claiming a number of poles and podium finishes. However, he also experienced a lot of crashes.

Lorenzo set out to make 2009 a new era for his racing career, switching management and changing his longtime number of 48 to 99. The Mallorcan landed on the podium 12 out of 17 rounds, earning him second in the championship.

The following year proved to be a defining moment in the Spaniard's career. Lorenzo snagged a total of nine wins, seven pole victories and another seven podium finishes throughout the season. After only missing the podium twice, Lorenzo captured the 2010 championship and set a record for the largest points haul in a single season.

After signing a two-year contract with the Factory Yamaha team, Lorenzo will return in 2011 to defend both the Rider and Manufacturer titles. The Mallorcan will be joined by MotoGP rookie phenom, Ben Spies.