Randy de Puniet
Randy de Puniet, sometimes known by his initials RdP, is a French motorcycle road racer who competed in Grands Prix racing between 1998 and 2014, achieving five wins in the 250cc class. He also competed in the Superbike World Championship during 2015 [Superbike World Championship season|the 2015 season] with little success. He currently competes in the MotoE World Cup, aboard an Energica Ego Corsa.
Career
Born in Maisons-Laffitte, Yvelines, de Puniet was French 125cc champion in 1998, moving up to the world championship a year later. In he moved up to the 250cc World Championship. He earned two podium finishes in to earn a factory Aprilia ride for. He took his first win in Catalunya, coming 4th overall with 3 wins. In he was third with a single win, spending with on an Aprilia run by former world champion, Jorge Martínez and his Aspar Team.Image:Capirossi and De Puniet.jpg|left|thumb|De Puniet behind Loris Capirossi
was de Puniet's first season in MotoGP, for the Kawasaki factory team, where he remained for. He took his first front-row start at the 2007 Catalan Grand Prix, and finished a career-best fifth. Up until Donington, he started all but one other race on the third row. He started fourth and finished second at Motegi in the wet.
LCR Honda announced on 24 August 2007 that de Puniet would ride for them in 2008 and 2009. He suffered a fractured ankle in a midseason testing crash in. He ultimately remained with LCR for 2010, despite being linked to the French Tech 3 squad. He had been in contention for a Tech 3 ride for 2011, but team boss Hervé Poncharal denied this link.
De Puniet enjoyed a strong run of form midseason in 2010, including consecutive front row starts at Silverstone and Assen. He was running fifth in the championship before breaking his leg in a crash at the Sachsenring. He missed the race at Laguna Seca before returning at Brno, where he finished tenth.
In spite of the promise, de Puniet showed on the Honda before his injury, De Puniet raced for Pramac Racing in.
After a disappointing year on the satellite Ducati De Puniet joined the Power Electronics Aspar team for, a 'Claiming Rules Team' running a modified Aprilia RSV4 known as the ART.
For 2014, De Puniet was not racing, instead concentrating on development and testing on the Suzuki 2015 MotoGP machine. He hoped to receive a wild card ride during 2014, and did so at the final race in Valencia, retiring from the race.
In 2021, de Puniet competed in the FIM Endurance World Championship with Moto Ain.