Valentino Rossi's MotoGP Start & Career

Valentino Rossi, multiple motorcycle MotoGP World Champion rider, started his Grand Prix career in in 1996 for Aprilia in the 125 cc category and the following year won his first World Championship. Moving to the 250cc class, again with Aprilia, he won the World Championship in 1999. In 2001 Rossi won the final 500cc World Championship, while in 2002 and 2003 he took the new MotoGP World Championships with Honda. and the 2004 and 2005 MotoGP World Championships with Yamaha. Today, at the start of the 2006 season, Rossi is the World Champion.

With 2001 the final year for the 500cc World Championship; the 500cc division was replaced by the new MotoGP class. Since 500cc bikes were being replaced by four-stroke 989cc engines, cycle manufacturers could allow their riders to race super-fast motorbikes. Honda gave their riders the liquid-cooled ,V5 four-stroke RC211V.

In 2002 the new MotoGP bikes had their first season and all riders had to come to terms with the differing handling capabilities and, of course, extra power of their new machines. Rossi converted well from the very start and won an amazing 8 of the first 9 season races, ending with a total of11 wins.

Rossi powers on in 2003, 2004 and 2005
In 2003, Rossii gave his competitors a hiding when he claimed 9 pole positions along with 9 Grand Prix wins to claim his third consecutive World Championship. Australia’s Phillip Island GP in 2003 was one of Rossi's career highlights when he won after suffering a 10-second penalty for overtaking a crash by Ducati rider Troy Bayliss with the yellow flag marshal on the track. By finishing more than 15 seconds ahead on the rest or the field, he managed to overcome the penalty and claim the race.

The following year, after a surprise defection to the Yamaha Team, Rossi finished the season on 304 points, ahead of Sete Gibernau, to claim a sixth world championship and a third straight GP crown. In 2005 Rossi again led the Gauloises Yamaha Team to win with an astonishing 367 points, 147 points ahead of his nearest rival Marco Melandri riding for the Telefonica Movistar Honda Team.

And what of 2006?
In 2006, riding for Camel Yamaha, Rossi must start as favourite. Where he goes at the end of the year is not decided yet. Rumours having him making a move to Formula One with Ferrari are unconfirmed. If he wins his fifth straight championship this season he will be on the way to claiming the record of Giacomo Agostini of 9 world titles. This would be a final accolade for this much acclaimed champion.

Click the links on this site and read the MotoGP news, find out more on Rossi’s career, check out the bikes, and read about his rivals. Follow Rossi’s career on www.valentinorossi.info and see what the future holds for this multi world champion rider.