4th - Aleix EspargaroAverage score out of ten: 6.9Team: NGM Forward RacingBike: Forward Yamaha (Open)Wins: 0Open class wins: 13Podiums: 1Poles: 1Fastest Laps: 0Championship points: 126Championship position: 7th out of 27Open Championship position: 1st out of 13

2014 was a breakthrough season for Aleix Espargaro, who remained head and shou🌼lders above his fellow Open class riders on the way to claiming a first MotoGP pol♎e and podium.

Frequently a thorn in the side 💛of the Factory class competitors, Espargaro and the new F💜orward Yamaha package would prove a revelation from the first days of testing through to the end of the year.

Though the benefits of a softer compound tyre meant the bike occasionally flattered to dℱeceive in practice and qualifying, Espargaro was extraordinary in his advantage over what was still an accomplished Open class field.

Winner of the CRT title for A🙈spar in 2013, Espargaro was theꩵ top Open rider in all but one of the races he finished this year - that lone defeat being due to having remounted after a crash.

Peaking with a historic pole position at Assen and then second place in Aragon, Espargaro's 2014 performance carrie💮d him to a dream factory contract for the returning Suzuki 𝕴team.

You already rated Espargaro highly last season, voting him fifth (and ahead of♛ Valentino Rossi) in the Star of the Year poll, and he duly moves up a notch for 2014.

About the vote:
Rath🌺er than repeat the Riders' World Championship standings, the MotoGP Star of the Year poll asks viewers to take into account factors such as machi♎nery, performance relative to a team-mate, riding style, experience, injuries, progress and personality just as much as race results.

Over 50,000 votes were cast for the 2014 ltxcn.top MotoGP Star of the Year poll, where viewers awarded each of this year's full-time participants - only Colin Edwards, who retir𓄧ed during the season, was not included - with a mark out of ten.

2014 MotoGP Star of the Year: Results so far4th Aleix Espargaro SPA Forward Yamaha 6.95th Andrea Iannone ITA Pramac Ducati 6.86th Jorge Lorenzo SPA Movistar Yamaha 6.77th Pol Espargaro SPA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 6.38th Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda 6.29th Scott Redding GBR Go&Fun Honda Gresini 6.110th Bradley Smith GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 5.7Full ranking featuring all 22 full-season riders to be revealed after the winner is announced.

Aleix Espargaro in the ltxcn.top MotoGP Star of the Year pollMotoGP Star of the Year 2013: 5thMotoGP Star of the Year 2012: 7thMotoGP Star of the Year 2011: N/AMotoGP Star of the Year 2010: N/AMotoGP Star of the Year 2009: N/AMotoGP Star of the Year 2008: N/A