With♕ the #4 he took to 250cc title victory already in the hands of Andrea Dovizioso in MotoGP, Hiroshi Aoyama will switch to the #7 for his debut season in the p🌠remier class.

The new number, made available in MotoGP for 2010 following Chris Vermeulen's return to World Superbike, was inspired by late Jap♏anese grand 🔯prix hero Daijiro Kato.

Kato was Japan's last 250cc wo🦹rld champion before Aoyama and tipped to be the country'sꦡ first premier-class champion.

The 17 time 250cc race winner finished second in o🍰nly his third MotoGP race, ridin🌳g a 500cc Gresini Honda, and again later in the season when given one of the new 990cc RCV four-strokes.

But Kato's potential went tragically unfulfilled when he lost his life during the first race of his second premier-class season, at Suzuka in 2003. As a mark of respect, his #74 was retired from MotoGP soon after, but Aoyama ca💦n at least use one of the digits.

"My favourite number is Daijiro Kato's #74," Aoyama told mahbx.com. "This year in 250 I was using the #4, from Kato's number, a﷽nd next year in MotoGP I will useℱ the #7. I will keep the #7 from now on."

Meanwhile, fellow 𝓡250cc world champion and 2010 MotoGP rookie Marco Simoncelli confirmed that he will stick with the #58, de🐲spite running with a 'T' during winter testing.

"The 'T' is just for testi🎃ng. I'm not c꧃hanging my number," the Italian confirmed.