|
Name |
Valentino
Rossi |
|
Nicknames |
Rossifumi, Valentinik,
The Doctor, GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)
|
|
|
Profession |
Motorcycle
racer |
|
Date of Birth |
16th February 1979 |
|
Birth
Place |
Urbino,
Pesaro e Urbino, Italy |
|
Height |
182 cm |
|
Weight |
64 Kg |
|
Nationality |
Italian |
|
Zodaic
sign |
Aquarius |
|
Family |
Father – Graziano Rossi (Former motorcycle
racer)
Mother – Stefania |
|
Residence |
London, UK |
|
Current Team |
Fiat Yamaha Team
|
|
Bike number |
46 |
|
Pole Positions |
45 |
|
Podiums |
127 |
|
Known for |
* Clownish upstart
to being dubbed "The Doctor" for his calculated
and precise way of out-racing opponents.
* Colorful helmets |
|
Class
|
MotoGP |
|
Bike |
Yamaha |
|
First racing
love |
Go-karts |
|
Debut |
Race – 1991
Grand Prix - MAL 125cc, 1996
Pole Position - CZE 125cc, 1996
Race Fastest Lap - FRA 125cc, 1996
Podium - AUT 125cc, 1996
GP Victory - CZE 125cc, 1996 |
|
Inspired by |
'Norifumi' Abe (Japanese rider) |
|
Inspiration for
the choice of number 46 |
A Japanese "wild card" racer whom he saw on television
speeding past much more seasoned riders in a wet
race. |
|
Achievements |
* Multiple MotoGP World Championships.
* Ranked as 63rd in the Forbes Most Powerful Celebrity
100 List (2005).
* The youngest rider ever to win the 125cc World
Championship.
* Ranked as 64th in the Forbes Most Powerful Celebrity
100 List (2006).
* Ranked as the 2nd highest paid non US citizen
athlete in their "International 20" (2006). |
|
Records |
*
Youngest ever won the Italian 125cc champion,
and third in the European championship (1995).
* First rider in the history of the sport to
win back-to-back premier class races for different
manufacturers.
* The first rider in the 55-year history of
Moto GP to take back-to-back victories riding
machines from two different manufacturers, The
2003 Repsol Honda RC211V and the 2004 Gauloises
Yamaha YZR M1.
* One of the two riders to win back-to-back
titles on different machinery with Repsol Honda
RC211V (2003) and with Gauloises Yamaha YZR
M1 (2004).
* The youngest rider ever to have won World
Championships in all three classes 125GP, 250GP,
and the 500GP/Moto GP.*
First in all time podium standings with 104
podiums in premier class.
* First in most podiums in a season with 16
podiums (2003 and 2005).
* First in fastest laps in a season with 12
fastest laps (2003).
* Only rider to win three races after starting
the race from 11th or lower on the grid (British
GP 2001, German GP 2006 & Dutch TT 2007).* First
rider ever to win the MotoGP class at the age
of 23.
* Second rider ever to win the premier class
title with a two-stroke and a four-stroke machine.
* Fourth youngest rider ever to win the 500cc
title.
* Eighth rider to have won three or more successive
premier-class titles.
* Only rider to win seven consecutive
races at his home Grand Prix at Mugello (2002-2008). |
|
Trademarks |
* Eye-catching incredible style
* Sense of humor
* Ways of celebrating his victories |
|
Text on his helmet |
Refers to the name of his group of friends: "The
Tribe of the Chihuahua" |
|
Letters on his
leathers |
VVLF - "Viva La Figa" (Italian) |
|
Most featuring
design in the helmet |
Sun & Moon motif, signifying the two sides of
his personality |
|
Author of Valentino's
helmet’s design |
Aldo Drudi |
|
Night before
a race |
Spends time with his bike in the garage checking
the positions of all the stickers. |
|
Much commented
habit |
Adjusting the fit of his leathers by standing
straight up on the foot-pegs, while riding the
pit-lane before the start of race or practice |
|
Superstitious
beliefs |
* Stops at about 2 m from his bike, bend over
and reach his boots.
* He will crouch down and hold the right-side
foot-peg, with his head bowed after arriving at
his bike.
* Always puts one boot on before the other, one
glove on before the other, and he always gets
on the bike the same way. |
|
About himself |
“I'm Valentino Rossi. And I want to be a Person
not an Icon" |
|
Hobbies |
Soccer, radio-controlled toys, motocross, skiing |
|
Interests |
Guitar, Racing and football |
|
Loves |
Everything that goes fast, off-road, rally or
road racing |
|
Favorite foot
ball club |
Inter Milan |
| Autobiography |
What
If I'd Never Tried It |
|
Biography |
"Valentino Rossi: The Flying Doctor" by Mat Oxley |
|
About his turtle
tattoo |
"Because I like the animal a lot. I had it as
a mascot from when I was very young." |
|
About him |
Mick Doohan :
"Rossi is mentally strong and he never gives up."
Brad Pitt :
"He is a magician. He's mesmerizing. He's the
fastest man on two wheels. It's speed but it's
also balance. ... Rossi has a sort of innate sense
of balance that's beyond mortal man."
Colin Edwards:
"It seems Valentino can ride pretty much anything."
Randy Mamola:
"Valentino breaks other people's spirits by dominating
practise and qualifying."
Giacomo Agostini:
"I think the motivation Valentino has shown this
year is a demonstration of his love for the sport".
Kenny Roberts Sr.:
"Rossi is a natural born motorcycle racer, like
Tiger Woods is a natural born golfer.
Frankie Chili :
"The young riders all want to be the new Valentino,
but Valentino is unique and nobody can be the
same."
Nicky Hayden:
"Valentino Rossi... He's the guy who's setting
the pace. He's the guy who's setting the standard."
Shane Byrne:
"He is the show, he is MotoGP at the moment." |
|
Facts |
* Rode his first
mini bike at the age of just two and a half.
* Began racing as a teenager, first with karts,
then with mini motors (mini bikes).
* Started his career on a mini bike at the coastal
resorts near his home, Tavullia.
* He won the regional kart championship in 1990.
* Lives in his apartment in London (Knightsbridge).
* In his hometown many buildings have murals in
his honor.
* His childhood friends are running a fan club
in Tavullia.
* Crew Chief, Jeremy Burgess, continued to support
him (who moved from Honda to work with him in
the Yamaha).
* Forbes magazine reported him as the ninth highest
paid sportsman (jointly with Lance Armstrong)
in 2004 with earnings of $28m.
* He was the team-mate of the youngest AMA Superbike
Champion Nicky Hayden (2003). |
|
Quotes |
"I try to have
a different relationship with the bike. I don't
give it a name, but I always speak with it. I
don't know if the other riders do the same. This
is not only a piece of metal - there is a soul.
The bike talks back too. But not with a voice,
with the components"
"When I made the decision to move to Yamaha many
people thought it was a stupid thing to do, even
my father and Jeremy Burgess. But I was already
committed and have never looked back since."
"When I looked at my best lap time I thought it
was like a symphony of violins - perfect, so I
decided that if I won I would do this celebration
across the finish line!"
"125 racing was more like a game. 250 started
to become serious and this is more serious, because
this bike is dangerous...it's necessary every
time to be quiet and respectful with the bike.
Very respectful."
"Riding a race bike is an art - a thing that you
do because you feel something inside." |
|
Official Website |
www.fanclubvalentinorossi.com
|
