MotoGP new arrival Hiroshi Aoyama has chosen a bike number in honour of the late Daijiro Kato.
Aoyama roared to the 250cc title using number four, but that number is currently being used by Andrea Dovizioso in MotoGP.
Therefore, the 28-year-old Japanese rider will take Chris Vermeulen’s old number seven for his debut season in the premier class.
Why seven? Aoyama says it’s out of respect to Kato, who rode with a number 74. Kato won 17 250cc races and was widely tipped to become Japan’s first MotoGP champion. But he was killed at Suzuka in 2003 in only his second full season at the highest level and his number was retired as a mark of respect.
Aoyama said: “My favourite number is Daijiro Kato's number 74. Last year in 250cc I was using the number four, from Kato's number, and next year in MotoGP I will use the number seven. I will keep the number seven from now on.”
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