Spain’s MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo has confirmed that he’ll race with the number one plate in his title defence this season.

A triumphant 2010 MotoGP racing season witnessed Yamaha Factory Racing Team rider Lorenzo charge to the title with an incredible nine race wins and a record breaking 383 championship points earned.

Lorenzo today confirmed his intention to run the coveted number one on his Yamaha Factory Racing M1 race bike, revealing a clever design incorporating his JL initials.

“Today I can reveal my number one,” said Lorenzo. “I am very proud because you have to work very hard to have the option to wear it. I have been lucky with my design because the number one works really well with my JL initials.

“Maybe with different letters it would have been difficult to make it look right, I hope my fans will like it! I won’t forget my number 99 this season, it will be there somewhere on my leathers because 99 is in my heart.

“It was a difficult choice to change my number but I have earned the right for this unique opportunity to wear it.”

This will be the first time a Yamaha MotoGP rider has worn the number one since Wayne Rainey defended his world championship title in 1993 for the third consecutive time.

Lorenzo had used number 48 for his entire career prior to the 2009 season, switching to number 99.