The 27-year-old former British Champion switched from Honda to Aprilia machinery this season and eventually finished a creditable 11th in the MotoGP World 250cc championship. He is the son of Chris Vincent who was a top British sidecar racer. He won the British 250cc Championship in 1994 and was second in the European Championship in 1997, winning two races. He began his first full season of Grand Prix racing in 1998 and secured fifth places in the 250cc races at both the German and French Grands Prix. Last year he finished 11th in the Championship - a feat he managed to equal this year, on the Padgetts Aprilia. His best result was a fifth place at the British Grand Prix, having led the race in the early stages.