Capcom Xbox360 MotoGP08 User Manual page 13

.THE RIDERS
. MotoGP
. RANDY DE PUNIET
. FRANCE/LCR HONDA
One of two French representatives in the MotoGP series, Randy de Puniet has a decade
of Grand Prix experience at the age of 27. Although 2008 sees only his third season of
MotoGP participation, he is an excellent qualifi er. He dropped out of the top ten only three
times in 2007 and made a slot on the fi rst two rows of the grid seven times in the last ten
races of the year. He will celebrate ten seasons of GP participation in 2008.
. ALEX DE ANGELIS
. SAN MARINO/SAN CARLO HONDA GRESINI
Alex de Angelis is one of four new faces in MotoGP for 2008 and one of the top three
to emerge from the 2007 250cc world championship. Still just 24-years old, De Angelis
entered the Grand Prix scene in 2000 at the age of 16 and needed two full seasons
before catching sight of the podium for the fi rst time. He was 125cc world championship
runner-up in 2003 but that fi rst GP victory remained painfully elusive and it was not until
2006 and 23 podium appearances later that he triumphed in Valencia.
. JOHN HOPKINS
. USA/KAWASAKI RACING
In 2002 teenager John Hopkins was thrown into the deep-end of MotoGP after promising
form and titles in AMA supersport and Formula Xtreme marked him as the new major
talent in US road racing. It took Hopkins four years and a degree of patience with Suzuki's
efforts and evolution towards a competitive machine before he could celebrate his fi rst
podium. The American often had to push his motorcycle to the limits in order to fi ll the top
ten on the leader-board. 2007 was his best season to-date handing him four trophies to
break him into the top fi ve of the standings for the fi rst time, scoring fourth overall.
. TONI ELIAS
. SPAIN/ALICE
The Spaniard, a winner at the 125cc and 250cc level, has always been impatient to reach
the premier class. Although he has yet to make the same impact as he did during the four
years where he stayed in the top four overall in 125cc/250cc, his presence ensures an
unpredictable edge to MotoGP. He only failed to score points twice in his 28 starts during
his fi rst two seasons in the MotoGP class, but missed the top fi fteen three times before
breaking his leg in 2007.
. MARCO MELANDRI
. ITALY/DUCATI
Melandri has won races in every category, was a rightful 250cc champion in 2002, and
is a reliably fast performer with top fi ve championship fi nishes in eight of his ten seasons
at the highest level. Marco has a winning career that spans nine seasons. In the 2008
MotoGP fi eld, only Rossi and Capirossi boast a longer spell.
. VALENTINO ROSSI
. ITALY/FIAT YAMAHA
Valentino Rossi is an icon of motorcycle racing, arguably one of its greatest riders ever,
and a visible face of MotoGP around the world. A record-breaker and fl amboyant multi-
world champion, he has recently waded through his shallowest pool of results. Still
regarded as the supreme master of his art in many circles, 'The Doctor' faces a challenge
in returning to the top of the crop in 2008.
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