Kenny Jr. is steeped in the business of racing motorcycles. Having grown up in racing paddocks as father Kenny Senior racked up World Championships in the 1970s and 1980s, Junior was riding mini-bikes almost as soon as he was out of nappies. Then came the gradual conversion to racing, first on dirt and then on tarmac.

Dad was a three times 500cc World Champion, and Kenny Jr. remains the only son of a former World Champion to have lifted a World crown too. He’s had a hard road to travel since that world title in 2000 and Junior is no stranger to the hard yards of racing a machine that is under constant development. He rode for Kenny Sr. previously when his father established the Modenas team in 1997. He piloted it again in 1998 and fought hard to achieve a 13th place overall in the World Championship.

Combative, determined and with a wealth of analytical skills garnered over the years, Junior would not be embarking on yet another season if he didn’t see the further potential of the project or wasn’t ready to fight it out with his younger rivals.

He scored a podium finish at a soaking wet Donington Park in 2005, which was largely due to conditions compensating less powerful machines, then with Honda power in 2006 he scored two third places at Catalunya and in Portugal in dry races. He might have won in Portugal if he hadn’t mis-read his pitboard with one lap to go. Now with 800cc RC212V engines for 2007, there is no reason to suppose he won’t be fighting at the front for wins.
The Roberts dynasty still has more to prove in motorcycle racing. The World title is a very long shot for 2007, but who would bet against the Roberts duo being the first father and son team to win a Grand Prix using a chassis of their own design and motive power from Honda.