De Puniet, one of two Frenchmen competing in this season's MotoGP, is entering his third year of elite-class racing and is his team's only rider.

The 27-year-old, who has a decade of Grand Prix experience, claimed his first podium finish last year when he clinched second place in Japan, and he finished the year in 10th position overall.

Team LCR was set up by Lucio Cecchinello in 1996 and only began competing in MotoGP 10 years later. Their rider that year was none other than current world champion Casey Stoner.