Hopkins will move to Kawasaki in 2008, when Vermeulen will be joined by Stoner's team-mate Capirossi. The hard-charging Italian led Ducati's grand prix challenge from the factory's entry in 2003 until 2006, but the former 125 and 250cc world champion just couldn't get comfortable on the GP8. Nevertheless, Loris salvaged some pride with victory in the dry/wet event at Motegi, which highlighted his four podium appearances of the year and seventh place in the world championship standings.

Melandri was announced as Stoner's 2008 team-mate as early as Laguna Seca, just before the summer break. The #33, Honda's leading satellite rider for the last three years, was openly disappointed at his level of support from HRC this season - when all the non-factory RCV riders felt they were left to make the best of a bad situation.

Nevertheless, Melandri still scored two second place finishes, aided by his Bridgestone tyres, in addition to a painful third while riding injured at Laguna Seca - helping him finish fifth in the standings. Gresini team-mate Toni Elias took two podiums, one before and one after a nasty femur-breaking accident at Assen.

Melandri, Elias and Alex Barros (third at Mugello) were the only non-factory riders to finish on the MotoGP podium during 2007.

Kawasaki's first 800cc motorcycle drew praise from throughout the paddock and was generally considered capable of much more than its single podium finish - in the hands of Randy de Puniet at Motegi - during an unsettled season in which Olivier Jacque was replaced by Anthony West from Donington park onwards. West will remain green for 2008, when de Puniet switches to Honda LCR.

LCR fielded Carlos Checa this year, but the Spaniard - along with fellow class veteran Barros and another former race winner, Makoto Tamada - waved goodbye to grand prix racing at Valencia. Checa and Tamada will switch to WSBK, while Barros has decided to hang up his helmet after a huge 17-year premier-class career (plus one season in WSBK).

MotoGP faced a fork in the road during the tail end of 2007, when continued unrest over this season's tyre restrictions prompted the possibility of a controversial single-brand rule being imposed.

The question was whether MotoGP, being a prototype championship, should continue to operate as a 'pure' open-tyre formula - and accept the consequences when one of the brands suffers a bad weekend (or even a bad season) - or should MotoGP's main priority be to protect 'the show'?

In the end a compromise was reached, whereby open tyre competition was given a second chance - but with the tyre rules loosened to help ensure more balanced competition next year, when Rossi will also join Stoner on Bridgestones.

How will you remember the 2007 MotoGP season? Add your comments below...