Crash.net's MotoGP top ten: 1st

It's hard to make a rational case for the world champion not being the top rider in any season, and it would be a travesty to name anyone other than Jorge Lorenzo as our 2010 MotoGP rider of the year.

Lorenzo beat his rivals in just about every way in 2010 - claiming more points, more wins, more podiums, more poles and less DNFs than anyone else.

The only 2010 stat of note Lorenzo didn't lead was fastest race laps - nearest rival Dani Pedrosa claimed eight compared with four for Lorenzo.

But that only adds to the strength of Lorenzo's achievements, since it means Jorge often won without possessing the fastest bike over a single race lap.

The Spaniard won nine races (the next best was Pedrosa with four) and took a total of 16 podiums on his way to a record 383 points.

Lorenzo was the only rider in any of the three grand prix classes to score at every round this year and his worst finish was fourth (twice).

The big question will always be what might have been, had Fiat Yamaha team-mate and reigning seven time champion Valentino Rossi not hurt his shoulder after round one, then broken his leg at round four.

But it's rare for any MotoGP season to pass without injury for one of the title contenders and Lorenzo also began the year injured, a pre-season training accident forcing him to miss one of the three winter tests.

Ultimately, Rossi was trailing Lorenzo by nine points at the time of his Mugello crash and, even if Rossi had continued his points average of 20.3 per race (over the first three events) for the full 18-round season the Italian would still have finished 17 points behind Lorenzo.

Lorenzo averaged an amazing 21.3 points per race in 2010.

Statistics - Jorge Lorenzo:

Team: Fiat YamahaBike: Yamaha YZR-M1

Championship position: 1stPoints: 383

Race starts: 18 (out of 18)Pole positions: 7Victories: 9Podiums: 16Fastest laps: 4Best result: 1st (Jerez, Le Mans, Silverstone, Assen, Catalunya, Laguna Seca, Brno, Estoril, Valencia)Points finishes: 18

Crash.net's Top 10 MotoGP riders of 2010:
1. Jorge Lorenzo
2. Dani Pedrosa
3. Valentino Rossi
4. Casey Stoner
5. Ben Spies
6. Andrea Dovizioso
7. Nicky Hayden
8. Marco Simoncelli
9. Randy de Puniet
10. Alvaro Bautista