After a long gap we are back with the "Racing Legends" series. This time we bring you, the most famous MotoGP racer of all time. It is none other than the much celebrated "Valentino Rossi", often acclaimed as the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time).
Early Days:
Valentino was born in Urbino in 1969, but soon his family moved to Tavulia, a small village in Italy. Being the son of a former motorcycle racer "Graziano Rossi", Valentino began riding motorcycles at a very young age. Rossi sharpened up his skills riding around the streets of Tavulia, as a young boy. He also raced karts due to his love for speed, which eventually ended up with a Regional Kart Championship victory in 1990. During 1991 most of the regional Mini-moto races, saw Rossi being victorious.
Rossi first participated in the Italian Sport Production Championship in 1993 with his father's help, and finished 9th overall in that season. Though he struggled in his first outcome, Rossi managed to win the title the very next year. He spent the years in the Italian and European championships respectively.
125cc Class:
Rossi moved up for the 125cc World Championship in the year 1996 on a Aprilia RS125R, and won his first Grand Prix at Brno. He used the number “46” on his bike, the same number which was used by his father during his GP days. The following year (1997) saw Rossi winning 11 races out of 15, resulting with his first World Championship victory. Right from his First Championship, Rossi has always been an entertainer to the fans by making clownish and funny gimmicks on the podium celebrations.
250cc Class:
He moved up to the 250cc intermediate class in 1998, on a Aprilia RS250 alongside Loris Capirossi. His first outing on the 250cc class, ended up in second place just behind his teammate. The 1999 season saw Rossi clinching his maiden 250cc World Championship, with 9 wins.
Rossi is always known for his special fluorescent yellow colour, be it on his bike, helmets or leathers. Valentino nicknamed himself as “The Doctor” due to his calculated and precise riding style, just as a Doctor treating his patient. He also has some special animations to his name. The Rossi Sun and Moon is one among, which he wears on his legs.
Premier Class:
After great success in the junior and intermediate classes, and an attacking riding style made Honda to keenly look up on him. The Millennial year saw Rossi signing for "Nastro Azzurro Honda", as the Honda 2 stroke motorcycle was the best on the grid during the period. With having Jeremy Burgess (Ex Crew chief of Mick Doohan) as his mentor, it looked to be a very strong team. He used his first year, learning the tips and tricks of the Premier class.
Rossi won his first Premier class Championship in his second year, on the Honda. He won 11 races collecting a total of 325 points, and became the first rider ever to win a championship on a Satellite bike (Non factory bike). The 2001 season had some bitter fights between Rossi and Max Biaggi, who became his primary rival during his early days.
4-Stroke Era:
In the year 2002, old generation 2 stroke bikes were replaced by 990cc four strokes according to the new regulations. The defending champion adapted well to the new bikes, and successfully won his second consecutive championship in the MotoGP class with 11 wins.
The 2003 season was no different for Rossi, as he clinched 9 wins along with 9 pole positions. This season made yet another rival for Vale, the well known Sete Gibernau. The rivalry was so intense that they made harsh moves on the track and Parc Ferme as well. At the dawn of the 2003 championship, all felt so easy for Rossi and people started complaining that, it was not about HIM but the BIKE which was very well off. The man decided to break the myth, that it was HIM behind all these race wins.
The New Love:
With Ducati trying their best to bring in Rossi into their team, Vale had other ideas. He chose YAMAHA, a manufacturer who had never won a MotoGP race before. Yamaha rewarded a staggering US$ 12 million for the deal, which no other manufacturer was willing to do. His feedback from the first Testing schedule was so positive, that he quoted "We could win with this".
The very first race of the 2004 season saw Rossi victorious on the Yamaha. No other rider ever has won the last race of the previous season for a different manufacturer, and the first race of the next season for another. Rossi fought with his two primary rivals Max Biaggi and Gibernau to clinch his first Championship with Yamaha. 2005 was no different, and Rossi went on to win 11 of them to seal the championship yet again with 367 points. This was Rossi's fifth straight Championship win on the trot. He was 2 championships short of equaling the legendary Giacomo Agostini's record.
2006 became a nightmare for Rossi, as he had some problems along with two mechanical failures in the first half of the season. The newbie Nicky Hayden grabbed many points by then and lead the points table, with Rossi behind. However after a few race wins, Rossi stepped up gradually to 2nd place at Motegi. The penultimate race was a downside for Hayden as he was taken down by his teammate Dani Pedrosa. Rossi made use of the opportunity and topped the points table at the end of the Dutch GP. The final race at Valencia becoming the Championship decider, Rossi crashed. Nicky Hayden won his only MotoGP world Championship in 2006.
An Year of Battle:
The new regulations for 2007 were made, stating a maximum of 4 cylinders and 800cc. The 2007 season saw a new hero on the Desmo GP, the Australian- Casey Stoner. With a motocross background, slipping and sliding around the track Casey was a serious threat to Rossi. With just 4 race wins, Vale was seriously out of form. Casey Stoner on the other side, won 10 races and clinched his first title which is Ducati's only MotoGP Title till date.
The following 2008 season had MotoGP's best fights on track, till date. Rossi and Stoner was involved in a heated battle at Laguna Seca, USA. At the most famous "Cork screw" corner, Rossi attacked Casey on the inside leaving his rear wheel on the gravel yet saving himself from a crash. The battle was so fierce that Casey Stoner crashed on the last corner of the last lap, while Valentino Rossi wheelied up his way to the finish line. With 9 victories to his name, Rossi secured yet another Championship, rising his count to 6 in the premier class.
Modern Day Rival:
The 2009 season saw a rise of a new rival, Jorge Lorenzo right from his adjacent garage. Rossi and Lorenzo involved in a cat fight at the Catalan Grand Prix, which is touted to be one of the classic battles of MotoGP. After several overtaking maneuvers by each other in the early stages, Rossi made an unbelievable move on the inside of Lorenzo in the last corner of the last lap to win the race. Rossi heavily praised the Bridgestone front tyre for that one maneuver. With just 6 wins in that season, Rossi clinched his 9th overall Championship across all classes. The historic moment of "100th race win" came at the Dutch GP in 2009.
Downfall:
The 2010 was a worst nightmare for Rossi, as he injured himself twice. After winning the opening race at Qatar, he injured his shoulder while training on a motocross bike. Later on at the free practice of his home GP, Rossi had a high speed crash leaving his right leg fractured. For the first time in his career, Valentino missed a race. Yet within a few weeks time, Rossi was back with a walking stick in his hand.
To test his fitness, Rossi rode a WSBK spec Yamaha YZF-R1 around the Brno track. He lapped just 2 seconds off from the pace of the top WSBK riders, even with the pain sustained in his legs. After 41 days of rehabilitation, Rossi reappeared in the World Championship at the German GP. With just 2 wins, Rossi ended the Championship in 3rd place. A hurt Rossi, and struggling Stoner lead to Lorenzo winning his maiden World title.
The Darkest Side of His Career:
At the end of the 2010 season, the musical chair started between the riders and manufacturers. Many big names swapped teams for 2011, including Casey Stoner. Yamaha wanted Lorenzo to be their number one, and asked Rossi for a pay cut. Though money wasn’t his concern, he never wanted to be number TWO. So he decided to part away from his love. Rossi decided to sign for Ducati. An all Italian Dream team was formed, expecting miraculous results. But, the first pre-season test proved wrong for Valentino Rossi. The smile and joy on his face faded away slowly. Rossi began to crash very often, which wasn't so usual. For the first time, Rossi never won a race and had just one podium finish in that season.
The wet Spanish GP had the best chance for Rossi taking a victory, as it reduced the corner speeds which normally unsettled the Ducati. In the 8th lap Rossi tried to pass Stoner and lost his front, eventually taking him down. Rossi was lucky to pick his bike up and complete the race. Right after the race, Rossi stormed to Stoner's garage for an apology "with his helmet on", For which Rossi got a spiritless reply from Casey, as he stated "Your ambition over weighted your talent". Rossi was also emotionally down after losing his best friend from the paddock and a very competitive Marco Simoncelli, after a fatal crash in Sepang- Malaysia. The 2011 season ended with Casey Stoner, winning his second world title on a Honda.
2012 was no different for Rossi, as the Ducati was getting worse day by day. He finished the season with just two podium finishes to his name. He badly needed a change.
In Search of Love:
Yamaha lacked a competitive rider for 2013, with only Lorenzo making progress. Rossi contacted Yamaha regarding a deal, which was eventually made. Rossi was BACK on his lovable machine. He finished the season opener in 2nd place and also won the Dutch TT, after a 46 race winless streak. Rossi was back on the Podium on five occasions. The rookie Marc Marquez won his first title, in the first attempt in 2013.
The 2014 season had an end of relationship with the long-term crew chief Jeremy Burgess, as he was replaced by Silvano Galbusera. The season saw Marquez taking 13 victories, out of which 10 of them were successive. Rossi finding his Golden touch back with the Yamaha, ended the Championship in the second position with 295 points.
Almost A Championship:
Rossi started his 20th World Championship season with a victory in the first race at Qatar. Rossi was most competitive after 2009, and went on to win 4 races. He was regularly seen on the podium, which made him top the points table till the end of the penultimate race. The season was filled with numerous dramas, as there was a rift between the relationship of Rossi and Marquez, as Rossi accused Marc for helping Lorenzo win the Championship.
Things went out of hand at the Malaysian GP, when the fight became bitter lap by lap with a physical contact made between the both, making Marquez kiss the gravel.This resulted in a 3 point Penalty for Rossi. Topping the points table, Rossi had to start the final race from back of the grid due to 4 penalty points (already 1 point Penalty given due to the accusation made by Lorenzo) on his license. Rossi made his way and overtook 21 riders, but was only able to make it to the 4th place. This made the Championship slip to Jorge Lorenzo, who picked up 10 points more than Rossi in the final race.
Present:
In the ongoing 2016 season, Rossi seems to be the strongest with 2 pole positions in the first half. Rossi also won two races and is currently third in the Championship.
Rossi's hunt for the 10th championship continues, and he is still 10 race wins ahead of equaling the all time record of 122 race victories by Giacomo Agostini.
Rossi at present is also the Founder and Chief Mentor of his “VR46 Riders Academy”, where he picks and trains the best riders in Italy. He owns a racing team in the Moto3 category, named "Sky VR46 Racing team" which has few of the top runners in its class. Rossi has now built his own dirt track back in Tavulia, where he trains alongside the riders in his academy.
We wish Valentino Rossi a very Good Luck! in winning his 10th World Championship, and bring in more and more exciting races in future. Stay tuned.
By: Aravind Rb
Early Days:
Valentino was born in Urbino in 1969, but soon his family moved to Tavulia, a small village in Italy. Being the son of a former motorcycle racer "Graziano Rossi", Valentino began riding motorcycles at a very young age. Rossi sharpened up his skills riding around the streets of Tavulia, as a young boy. He also raced karts due to his love for speed, which eventually ended up with a Regional Kart Championship victory in 1990. During 1991 most of the regional Mini-moto races, saw Rossi being victorious.
*** A young Rossi alongside his father Graziano
Rossi first participated in the Italian Sport Production Championship in 1993 with his father's help, and finished 9th overall in that season. Though he struggled in his first outcome, Rossi managed to win the title the very next year. He spent the years in the Italian and European championships respectively.
125cc Class:
Rossi moved up for the 125cc World Championship in the year 1996 on a Aprilia RS125R, and won his first Grand Prix at Brno. He used the number “46” on his bike, the same number which was used by his father during his GP days. The following year (1997) saw Rossi winning 11 races out of 15, resulting with his first World Championship victory. Right from his First Championship, Rossi has always been an entertainer to the fans by making clownish and funny gimmicks on the podium celebrations.
250cc Class:He moved up to the 250cc intermediate class in 1998, on a Aprilia RS250 alongside Loris Capirossi. His first outing on the 250cc class, ended up in second place just behind his teammate. The 1999 season saw Rossi clinching his maiden 250cc World Championship, with 9 wins.
Rossi is always known for his special fluorescent yellow colour, be it on his bike, helmets or leathers. Valentino nicknamed himself as “The Doctor” due to his calculated and precise riding style, just as a Doctor treating his patient. He also has some special animations to his name. The Rossi Sun and Moon is one among, which he wears on his legs.Premier Class:
After great success in the junior and intermediate classes, and an attacking riding style made Honda to keenly look up on him. The Millennial year saw Rossi signing for "Nastro Azzurro Honda", as the Honda 2 stroke motorcycle was the best on the grid during the period. With having Jeremy Burgess (Ex Crew chief of Mick Doohan) as his mentor, it looked to be a very strong team. He used his first year, learning the tips and tricks of the Premier class.
Rossi won his first Premier class Championship in his second year, on the Honda. He won 11 races collecting a total of 325 points, and became the first rider ever to win a championship on a Satellite bike (Non factory bike). The 2001 season had some bitter fights between Rossi and Max Biaggi, who became his primary rival during his early days.
4-Stroke Era:In the year 2002, old generation 2 stroke bikes were replaced by 990cc four strokes according to the new regulations. The defending champion adapted well to the new bikes, and successfully won his second consecutive championship in the MotoGP class with 11 wins.
The 2003 season was no different for Rossi, as he clinched 9 wins along with 9 pole positions. This season made yet another rival for Vale, the well known Sete Gibernau. The rivalry was so intense that they made harsh moves on the track and Parc Ferme as well. At the dawn of the 2003 championship, all felt so easy for Rossi and people started complaining that, it was not about HIM but the BIKE which was very well off. The man decided to break the myth, that it was HIM behind all these race wins.
The New Love:
With Ducati trying their best to bring in Rossi into their team, Vale had other ideas. He chose YAMAHA, a manufacturer who had never won a MotoGP race before. Yamaha rewarded a staggering US$ 12 million for the deal, which no other manufacturer was willing to do. His feedback from the first Testing schedule was so positive, that he quoted "We could win with this".
The very first race of the 2004 season saw Rossi victorious on the Yamaha. No other rider ever has won the last race of the previous season for a different manufacturer, and the first race of the next season for another. Rossi fought with his two primary rivals Max Biaggi and Gibernau to clinch his first Championship with Yamaha. 2005 was no different, and Rossi went on to win 11 of them to seal the championship yet again with 367 points. This was Rossi's fifth straight Championship win on the trot. He was 2 championships short of equaling the legendary Giacomo Agostini's record.2006 became a nightmare for Rossi, as he had some problems along with two mechanical failures in the first half of the season. The newbie Nicky Hayden grabbed many points by then and lead the points table, with Rossi behind. However after a few race wins, Rossi stepped up gradually to 2nd place at Motegi. The penultimate race was a downside for Hayden as he was taken down by his teammate Dani Pedrosa. Rossi made use of the opportunity and topped the points table at the end of the Dutch GP. The final race at Valencia becoming the Championship decider, Rossi crashed. Nicky Hayden won his only MotoGP world Championship in 2006.
An Year of Battle:
The new regulations for 2007 were made, stating a maximum of 4 cylinders and 800cc. The 2007 season saw a new hero on the Desmo GP, the Australian- Casey Stoner. With a motocross background, slipping and sliding around the track Casey was a serious threat to Rossi. With just 4 race wins, Vale was seriously out of form. Casey Stoner on the other side, won 10 races and clinched his first title which is Ducati's only MotoGP Title till date.
The following 2008 season had MotoGP's best fights on track, till date. Rossi and Stoner was involved in a heated battle at Laguna Seca, USA. At the most famous "Cork screw" corner, Rossi attacked Casey on the inside leaving his rear wheel on the gravel yet saving himself from a crash. The battle was so fierce that Casey Stoner crashed on the last corner of the last lap, while Valentino Rossi wheelied up his way to the finish line. With 9 victories to his name, Rossi secured yet another Championship, rising his count to 6 in the premier class.
Modern Day Rival: The 2009 season saw a rise of a new rival, Jorge Lorenzo right from his adjacent garage. Rossi and Lorenzo involved in a cat fight at the Catalan Grand Prix, which is touted to be one of the classic battles of MotoGP. After several overtaking maneuvers by each other in the early stages, Rossi made an unbelievable move on the inside of Lorenzo in the last corner of the last lap to win the race. Rossi heavily praised the Bridgestone front tyre for that one maneuver. With just 6 wins in that season, Rossi clinched his 9th overall Championship across all classes. The historic moment of "100th race win" came at the Dutch GP in 2009.
Downfall: The 2010 was a worst nightmare for Rossi, as he injured himself twice. After winning the opening race at Qatar, he injured his shoulder while training on a motocross bike. Later on at the free practice of his home GP, Rossi had a high speed crash leaving his right leg fractured. For the first time in his career, Valentino missed a race. Yet within a few weeks time, Rossi was back with a walking stick in his hand.
To test his fitness, Rossi rode a WSBK spec Yamaha YZF-R1 around the Brno track. He lapped just 2 seconds off from the pace of the top WSBK riders, even with the pain sustained in his legs. After 41 days of rehabilitation, Rossi reappeared in the World Championship at the German GP. With just 2 wins, Rossi ended the Championship in 3rd place. A hurt Rossi, and struggling Stoner lead to Lorenzo winning his maiden World title.
The Darkest Side of His Career:At the end of the 2010 season, the musical chair started between the riders and manufacturers. Many big names swapped teams for 2011, including Casey Stoner. Yamaha wanted Lorenzo to be their number one, and asked Rossi for a pay cut. Though money wasn’t his concern, he never wanted to be number TWO. So he decided to part away from his love. Rossi decided to sign for Ducati. An all Italian Dream team was formed, expecting miraculous results. But, the first pre-season test proved wrong for Valentino Rossi. The smile and joy on his face faded away slowly. Rossi began to crash very often, which wasn't so usual. For the first time, Rossi never won a race and had just one podium finish in that season.
The wet Spanish GP had the best chance for Rossi taking a victory, as it reduced the corner speeds which normally unsettled the Ducati. In the 8th lap Rossi tried to pass Stoner and lost his front, eventually taking him down. Rossi was lucky to pick his bike up and complete the race. Right after the race, Rossi stormed to Stoner's garage for an apology "with his helmet on", For which Rossi got a spiritless reply from Casey, as he stated "Your ambition over weighted your talent". Rossi was also emotionally down after losing his best friend from the paddock and a very competitive Marco Simoncelli, after a fatal crash in Sepang- Malaysia. The 2011 season ended with Casey Stoner, winning his second world title on a Honda.
2012 was no different for Rossi, as the Ducati was getting worse day by day. He finished the season with just two podium finishes to his name. He badly needed a change.In Search of Love:
Yamaha lacked a competitive rider for 2013, with only Lorenzo making progress. Rossi contacted Yamaha regarding a deal, which was eventually made. Rossi was BACK on his lovable machine. He finished the season opener in 2nd place and also won the Dutch TT, after a 46 race winless streak. Rossi was back on the Podium on five occasions. The rookie Marc Marquez won his first title, in the first attempt in 2013.
The 2014 season had an end of relationship with the long-term crew chief Jeremy Burgess, as he was replaced by Silvano Galbusera. The season saw Marquez taking 13 victories, out of which 10 of them were successive. Rossi finding his Golden touch back with the Yamaha, ended the Championship in the second position with 295 points.Almost A Championship:
Rossi started his 20th World Championship season with a victory in the first race at Qatar. Rossi was most competitive after 2009, and went on to win 4 races. He was regularly seen on the podium, which made him top the points table till the end of the penultimate race. The season was filled with numerous dramas, as there was a rift between the relationship of Rossi and Marquez, as Rossi accused Marc for helping Lorenzo win the Championship.
Things went out of hand at the Malaysian GP, when the fight became bitter lap by lap with a physical contact made between the both, making Marquez kiss the gravel.This resulted in a 3 point Penalty for Rossi. Topping the points table, Rossi had to start the final race from back of the grid due to 4 penalty points (already 1 point Penalty given due to the accusation made by Lorenzo) on his license. Rossi made his way and overtook 21 riders, but was only able to make it to the 4th place. This made the Championship slip to Jorge Lorenzo, who picked up 10 points more than Rossi in the final race.
Present:In the ongoing 2016 season, Rossi seems to be the strongest with 2 pole positions in the first half. Rossi also won two races and is currently third in the Championship.
Rossi's hunt for the 10th championship continues, and he is still 10 race wins ahead of equaling the all time record of 122 race victories by Giacomo Agostini.
Rossi at present is also the Founder and Chief Mentor of his “VR46 Riders Academy”, where he picks and trains the best riders in Italy. He owns a racing team in the Moto3 category, named "Sky VR46 Racing team" which has few of the top runners in its class. Rossi has now built his own dirt track back in Tavulia, where he trains alongside the riders in his academy.
We wish Valentino Rossi a very Good Luck! in winning his 10th World Championship, and bring in more and more exciting races in future. Stay tuned.By: Aravind Rb