Nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) has added another title to his CV, with the Italian proclaimed Champion in the 2017 MotoGP™ Fan World Championship. Taken to the crown by American fan Derek Wisner, from California, the rider from Tavullia was never far off the top throughout the 2017 season as Wisner put in a sustained effort and more than 400 hours of game time to take the win. The runner up in 2017 was Porjate Subphanlie of Indonesia, who represented Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez, with Laurent Girard of New Caledonia taking Jorge Lorenzo to third in his debut season aboard the Ducati.
The 2017 MotoGP™ Fan World Championship season saw the MotoGP™ Mobile game rise to the top of the charts in several countries – including Spain, Italy and Indonesia – with over 10 million fans downloading the game and competing in around half a million races a day. This is the first “free to play” app released based on the sport, and the global popularity of MotoGP™ spiked unprecedented fan engagement.
“I started racing as Vale last season and finished as highest contributor in fourth,” said Wisner when asked about the win. “This year once the new format was released there wasn’t a day that went by I wasn’t playing, sometimes for hours and others just a race or two. After my disappointment last year there was no way I was going to let anyone but Vale stand on top of the podium. Without the competition from Porjate and Laurent I don’t think the score I put up was possible. Their skill made me get better because I had to.”
Wisner also wished to dedicate his 2017 Fan World Championship win to 2006 MotoGP™ World Champion Nicky Hayden, who tragically passed away in a training accident in 2017. Wisner explained: “As a fan it is often hard to find a voice to express our appreciation to the riders, I hope that my efforts in last year’s Fan World Championship may amplify my voice so my admiration and appreciation of the riders, especially Nicky, is heard.”
Wisner and the other MotoGP Fan World Championship finalists will each receive a magnificent Brembo Trophy, a limited edition MotoGP Tissot Watch and a Nolan X-Lite MotoGP helmet, as well as passes to their favourite races.
Graeme Warring of WePlay Media, the developers and hosts of the MotoGP™ Fan World Championship, congratulated the players on another successful year: “We want to congratulate the winners and all the millions of other fans who competed in the 2017 season and we would especially like to thank the sponsors, Brembo, Tissot and Nolan who continue to support not only the sport but the fans in the paddock.”
The 2018 MotoGP™ Fan World Championship is already underway ahead of the first race of the season in Qatar. The game is free to play and available in the Google Play and iTunes AppStore, it is available in 16 localized languages. The 2018 season update is scheduled for release in May 2018.
Download the App here: Apple AppStore - Google Play Store