Vladimir Ivanov began his motorsport pursuits in karting at the tender age of just four years old, and it was not until he was 16 that he first started to experiment with two wheels. His curiosity with bikes proved fruitful as he tested his abilities out on minibikes and scooters, and from 2000 onwards he began to compete on a national level in Russia.

In 2003 Ivanov made his debut in the Russian supersport championship and won the title at the first attempt, repeating the feat the following season. In 2005 he started to compete in the German championship, taking two podiums the next season as his progress developed rapidly.

Three race wins were to come the following year and in 2008 Ivanov came second overall with four victories, making the move to the Italian championship in 2009.

In 2010 the Ukrainian rider will be alongside the vastly experienced Toni Elías in the Gresini Racing set-up, as he makes his World Championship debut on a Moriwaki chassis in the Moto2 category.