Valentino Rossi

 Valentino Rossi, (born February 16, 1979 in Urbino), is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – a record seven of which are in the premier class.
Following his father, Graziano Rossi, Rossi started racing in Grand Prix in 1996 for Aprilia in the 125cc category and won his first World Championship the following year. From there, he moved up to the 250cc category with Aprilia and won the 250cc World Championship in 1999. He won the 500cc World Championship withHonda in 2001, the MotoGP World Championships (also with Honda) in 2002 and 2003, and continued his streak of back-to-back championships by winning the2004 and 2005 titles after leaving Honda to join Yamaha, before regaining the title in 2008 and retaining it in 2009. He left Yamaha to join Ducati for the 2011 season.
Rossi is first in all time 500 cc/MotoGP race wins standings, with 79 victories, and second in all time overall wins standings with 105 race wins (behind Giacomo Agostini with 122).

	MotoGP/500cc	250cc	125cc	All
First Grand Prix	2000 – RSA	1998 – JPN	1996 – MAL
First pole position	2001 – RSA	1999 – MAL	1996 – CZE
First race fastest lap	2000 – RSA	1998 – MAL	1996 – FRA
First podium	2000 – SPA	1998 – SPA	1996 – AUT
First Grand Prix victory	2000 – GBR	1998 – NED	1996 – CZE
Grand Prix victories	79	14	12	105
2nd Positions	37	5	1	43
3rd Positions	23	2	2	27
Podiums	139	21	15	175
Poles	49	5	5	59
Race fastest lap	66	11	9	86
World Championship wins	7	1	1	9

Career history

Season	Category	Starts	1st	2nd	3rd	Tot.	Poles	Bike	Points	Pos.
2011	MotoGP	9	0	0	1	1	0	Ducati	98	4
2010	MotoGP	14	2	2	6	10	1	Yamaha	233	3
2009	MotoGP	17	6	5	2	13	7	Yamaha	306	1
2008	MotoGP	18	9	5	2	16	2	Yamaha	373	1
2007	MotoGP	18	4	3	1	8	4	Yamaha	241	3
2006	MotoGP	17	5	4	1	10	5	Yamaha	247	2
2005	MotoGP	17	11	3	2	16	5	Yamaha	367	1
2004	MotoGP	16	9	2	0	11	5	Yamaha	304	1
2003	MotoGP	16	9	5	2	16	9	Honda	357	1
2002	MotoGP	16	11	4	0	15	7	Honda	355	1
2001	500cc	16	11	1	1	13	4	Honda	325	1
2000	500cc	16	2	3	5	10	0	Honda	209	2
1999	250cc	16	9	2	1	12	5	Aprilia	309	1
1998	250cc	14	5	3	1	9	0	Aprilia	201	2
1997	125cc	15	11	1	1	13	4	Aprilia	321	1
1996	125cc	15	1	0	1	2	1	Aprilia	111	9

Biography Summary

Date of Birth	16/02/1979
Place of Birth	Urbino, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Residence	London, UK
Height	182 cm
Weight	59 kg
Marital Status	Single
Hobbies	Soccer, radio-controlled toys

Career Summary

	MotoGP/500cc	250cc	125cc	All
First Grand Prix	2000 – RSA	1998 – JPN	1996 – MAL
First pole position	2001 – RSA	1999 – MAL	1996 – CZE
First race fastest lap	2000 – RSA	1998 – MAL	1996 – FRA
First podium	2000 – SPA	1998 – SPA	1996 – AUT
First Grand Prix victory	2000 – GBR	1998 – NED	1996 – CZE
Grand Prix victories	79	14	12	105
2nd Positions	37	5	1	43
3rd Positions	23	2	2	27
Podiums	139	21	15	175
Poles	49	5	5	59
Race fastest lap	66	11	9	86
World Championship wins	7	1	1	9

Date of Birth	16/02/1979
Place of Birth	Urbino, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Residence	London, UK
Height	182 cm
Weight	59 kg
Marital Status	Single
Hobbies	Soccer, radio-controlled toys