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About Alex Hofmann

Hofmann received his first MX Bike for his third birthday - a Yamaha PW 50, which he started racing in 1984 winning two German Junior Championships on the 80cc bikes in 1992 and 1993. Hofmann’s switch to the road came in 1995, where he was Germany’s 125cc runner up in 1997 on a Yamaha and German and European Champion in 1998 on a 250cc Honda. He entered the 1999 World Championship at Le Castellet / France on a private Honda bike and finished in eight position.

In 2000, he switched to Aprilia. His best privateer year on a 250cc Aprilia then came in 2001, where he made twelfth position in the World Standings. In 2002, Hofmann was called up to replace Izusu in World Superbike for Kawasaki Racing and went straight into Moto GP, riding the Red Bull Yamaha for Mc Coy at Barcelona and Assen, then West Honda for the injured Loris Capirossi at Donington and Sachsenring.

Those rides greatly impressed Kawasaki, who gave Hofmann a Test Rider Job in 2003 for Moto GP. After beating the regular riders Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt he eventually got to ride in 2004. Hofmann ended that year in 15th position overall before being hampered with numerous injuries. In 2006 he was awarded a place on a private Pramac D'Antin Ducati on Dunlop tires, but felt that the kit was restricting his riding skills.

However, Hofmann stayed on to get the all new 800cc Desmosiedici for what he describes as his “best Moto GP season and also most disappointing one”. After a best finish of 5th at Le Mans, he was run over by Silvain Guintoli and suffered a heavy injury on his left hand at Laguna Seca. Whilst contracts where signed for 2008, he was busy recovering and finally quit the team after many problems at the Estoril, in Portugal.

Hofmann is now the official Aprilia Testrider for World Superbikes and is part of their developments for the all new RSV4. He will offer views and opinion for PUMA Motorsport throughout the 2009 Moto GP season, as well as commenting on Moto GP for German Television.

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