Colin Edwards enters his third season with Yamaha's Factory Team looking to consistently produce the race-winning form that he has shown in flashes since signing up as wingman to serial title winner Valentino Rossi in 2005. In his debut season with the team, only his third in the MotoGP class, he finished fourth in the championship with three podium finishes and was the only rider to take points at all 17 races, helping Yamaha to take the Manufacturers' and Teams' titles. A series of technical problems hit the Texan in 2006, although he did produce one of the best rides of the season at the Dutch TT, where he only missed out on a dramatic first victory when he crashed in the final corner after a breathtaking battle with Nicky Hayden. The former World Superbike Champion will hope the switch from 990cc to 800cc can help him to finally make his mark on the elite stage.

Colin was born in Houston, Texas on February 27th, 1974. He rode his first bike at the age of three, entered his first race a year later and was quickly winning Motocross trophies. His Australian-born father, Colin Edwards Sr, also raced motorcycles and played a big role in Colin's early career. Colin was a top US amateur through his early Motocross career, before making the switch to road racing at the age of 16 and continuing a successful amateur career. Turning pro just before the 1992 season, he raced for South West Motorsports in the National 250cc series, winning five races and beating Kenny Roberts Jr. to the title.

In 1993, aged 19, Colin moved into the AMA National Superbike series and spent two years developing his talents on a Yamaha Superbike, finishing 6th in the championship in his first year and 5th in 1994. Yamaha then moved him into the international field, and in 1995 he contested his first World Superbike Championship with the newly formed Yamaha Factory Team. Davide Brivio, now the Yamaha Factory Racing Team Director, was the World Superbike Team Director then, and the team was based at the same Italian headquarters that the MotoGP team uses today. After spending 1995 learning the new tracks, he achieved his first podium position in 1996. In the same year he teamed up with Noriyuki Haga for the Suzuka Eight-Hour, the pair becoming the youngest duo to win the race in its history. He missed most of 1997 sidelined through injury, then joined Honda in 1998, pulling off a double win at Monza and finishing 5th overall in the Championship.

In 1999 he finished second, but 2000 saw him victorious; he won eight races and the World Superbike Championship title. He lost his crown in 2001, but recaptured it the following year, taking 11 race wins before leaving the World Superbike Championship on a high note to join Aprilia's MotoGP outfit for 2003. His rookie year in the World Championship saw him finish 13th overall, but he fared better in 2004, riding a Honda alongside Sete Gibernau. Achieving two podium positions, he finished the Championship in fifth place before making the move back to Yamaha for the 2005 season alongside Rossi.

Colin and his wife Alyssia live in Conroe, Texas, where Colin was born. They have a four-year-old daughter, Gracie Kayte, and a one-year-old son, Hayes, who was born in December 2005. Colin enjoys golf, snowboarding and Motocross in his spare time.
 

Personal Profile
Date of Birth	27/02/1974
Place of Birth	Houston, USA
Nationality	American
Residence	Texas, USA
Height	179 cm
Weight	66 kg
Marital Status	Married with two children
Hobbies	Snowboarding, golf, motocross
Total Races	65 x MotoGP
Victories	0
Pole Positions:	0
Podiums	6
Wins	2 World Superbike
First Race	1990
First Grand Prix	2003
First Pole	NA
First Championship	Japan, 2003 (MotoGP)
* correct as of 01.01.2007