Vinales number switch revealed on MotoGP entry list

Vinales has used the 25 since racing in the Spanish-based CEV series, except during his one and only season in Moto2 when sponsor demands prompted him to wear the number 40.

However, the Yamaha rider has opted to use the number 12 for the 2019 campaign, because his birthday is January 12.

Thomas Luthi had been using the number this season, but the Swiss rider is dropping back down to Moto2 next year after a single troubled season in the premier class with the Marc VDS team.

The 2019 entry list also confirms the race numbers that next year's rookie class will use.

Fabio Quartararo (20) and Joan Mir (36) will both use the numbers they have used in Moto2 this season.

Francesco Bagnaia's 42 is already in use by Suzuki rider Alex Rins, and the 21 he used in Moto3 is taken by Franco Morbidelli. Bagnaia will therefore use number 63 when he joins the Pramac Ducati squad.

Miguel Oliveira, meanwhile, has raced the 44 up to now, but with KTM stablemate Pol Espargaro already using that, the Portuguese rider will instead race the 88 for the Tech 3 team.

Besides Vinales, the existing riders will all continue to use the numbers they have used this year.

Also on the entry list are the official team names for the 2019 campaign, some of which have changed.

After splitting with title sponsor Movistar, and acquiring Monster backing for next season, the factory Yamaha team is now listed simply as 'Yamaha Factory Racing'.

Tech 3 is now listed as 'Red Bull KTM Tech 3' in accordance with its new sponsor deal with the Austrian drinks firm, while the SIC squad that replaces the Angel Nieto team on the 2019 grid is listed as 'Petronas Yamaha SRT'.

Finally, the entry list provides official confirmation that Tito Rabat will remain with the Avintia Ducati squad next year.

MotoGP - Entry list 2019:

N°	Rider	Team	Bike
4	Andrea Dovizioso	Ducati Team	Ducati
5	Johann Zarco	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	KTM
9	Danilo Petrucci	Ducati Team	Ducati
12	Maverick Vinales	Yamaha Factory Racing	Yamaha
17	Karel Abraham	Reale Avintia Racing	Ducati
20	Fabio Quartararo	Petronas Yamaha SRT	Yamaha
21	Franco Morbidelli	Petronas Yamaha SRT	Yamaha
29	Andrea Iannone	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia
30	Takaaki Nakagami	LCR Honda Idemitsu	Honda
35	Cal Crutchlow	LCR Honda Castrol	Honda
36	Joan Mir	Team Suzuki Ecstar	Suzuki
41	Aleix Espargaro	Aprilia Racing Team Gresini	Aprilia
42	Álex Rins	Team Suzuki Ecstar	Suzuki
43	Jack Miller	Alma Pramac Racing	Ducati
44	Pol Espargaro	Red Bull KTM Factory Racing	KTM
46	Valentino Rossi	Yamaha Factory Racing	Yamaha
53	Tito Rabat	Reale Avintia Racing	Ducati
55	Hafizh Syahrin	Red Bull KTM Tech3	KTM
63	Francesco Bagnaia	Alma Pramac Racing	Ducati
88	Miguel Oliveira	Red Bull KTM Tech3	KTM
93	Marc Marquez	Repsol Honda Team	Honda
99	Jorge Lorenzo	Repsol Honda Team	Honda