Valentino Rossi press articles

Jerez test: Valentino Rossi delighted with 2009 Yamaha
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

26 November 2008 18:13


Valentino Rossi declared himself delighted with the performance of Yamaha’s 2009 factory YZR-M1 prototype as he ended the opening day of testing in Jerez with the second quickest time.

The Italian, who won a sixth premier class world title in 2009, logged a best time of 1.40.135 on the 25th of a 39-lap stint at a chilly Jerez today.

Get the latest from the Jerez test
Rossi led the timesheets for most of the day, needing only seven laps earlier to jump to the top of the timesheets, but was relegated to second when Spaniard Dani Pedrosa posted an impressive best of 1.39.525.

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Rossi was 0.610s off the Honda rider but a massive 1.028s clear of Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who ended the day in third with a best time of 1.41.163.

Rossi tested some new engine parts fitted to his 2008 spec M1 to check the engine improvements and the 29-year-old told MCN: “I am really happy with the performance of the new prototype. We have improved the engine performance and the chassis too, so it shows that Yamaha has not relaxed after winning the championship.

"They have stayed very concentrated and it is important that they continue to work in this way. We have improved the acceleration and the bike is also improved on stability with the front and rear with the chassis.

"The first feeling with the new bike was positive in Valencia a few weeks ago, and it is positive again today, and the best thing is we have some clear ideas already on how to improve the bike for the future.”

MotoGP » Rossi 'happy' as '09 faster.
Wednesday, 26th November 2008

Valentino Rossi second fastest on opening day of Jerez MotoGP test.

Valentino Rossi finished the first day of the second post-season test of 2008 by setting the second fastest lap time, behind Dani Pedrosa, at Jerez - but was most pleased to have set that lap on a prototype version of the 2009 YZR-M1.

Jerez marks the last opportunity to gather MotoGP track data before the first test of 2009, at Sepang in February, and Rossi is eager to make provide Yamaha with as much guidance as possible.

Clear skies and a cold wind meant track temperatures were very cool in the morning and Rossi chose to wait until 1.30pm, when the newly-resurfaced track had warmed up slightly, to begin.
The six time world champion went on to complete 20 laps on a 2008-spec bike and 20 on the new 2009 prototype M1, on which he set a fastest lap 0.610sec behind Pedrosa.

"I am happy about this first day because my performance has been good from the beginning and I have been fast all day," declared The Doctor. "Unfortunately it's been quite cold and there was only three hours when it was possible to go fast, but we were able to get quite a lot of work done in this short space of time.

"We have tried some different things on the old 2008 bike and we were able to make some improvements and then we also tested several new things on the prototype bike, and I am happy because I did my fastest lap with this bike."

As per the new single-tyre rule there are just two front and two rear specifications available for the test, with the riders supplied with two tyres of each specification, making eight in total.

"Bridgestone have brought good tyres here; so far I don't see any problems with the new rule and it seems they're doing a good job," confirmed Rossi. "They have resurfaced the track and it has made a big difference; they have got rid of all the bumps and like this it's great fun to ride around.
"I think we will be able to go faster now. Today was very cold, especially with the wind so now I hope it's a bit better tomorrow and that it doesn't rain because we have a lot more work to do and I would like to improve my lap time a bit more," he concluded.

Rossi's Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was third fastest, one second behind the Italian.
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Rossi concludes official test in prime position
Thursday, 27 November 2008

Fiat Yamaha rider retains top spot on last day of MotoGP run in Jerez.

After a late start for the MotoGP riders present in Jerez, the second and final (half) day of the Official Test kicked into gear after 2pm local time. One-by-one the participants took to the drying track, left damp by overnight rain and cold temperatures, in the attempt to make the most of their last hours of testing for 2008.

2008 World Champion Valentino Rossi ended his title-winning year with the timesheet top spot on day two, snatching the placing from Dani Pedrosa in the final hour of the session. One of the last riders to emerge from the garage, Rossi joined Pedrosa as the only two men to record a time under the 1´40 mark, a 1´39.429 lap that was the fastest of the test. The Fiat Yamaha rider has been using both the 2008 and 2009 versions of the Yamaha M1, in order for the Japanese factory to be able to assemble the complete prototype for the coming year in January.

Repsol Honda rider Pedrosa was once again faster than his best race lap (a circuit record) from the 2008 Spanish round, and even managed to better his time from the opening day to place second on the chart. The Spaniard continued to work on the engine configuration of the RC212V, putting down a 1´39.447 lap in the process to end the day just 0.018 slower than Rossi.

Rossi´s teammate Jorge Lorenzo was again third on the timesheet, behind the Pedrosa-Rossi combination. He knocked over a second off his Wednesday time upon his afternoon arrival on track.

Also taking a sizeable chunk out of his previous best was Nicky Hayden, continuing his adaptation to the Ducati Desmosedici GP9. `The Kentucky Kid´ recorded the test´s sixth quickest lap on one of his typical marathon run-outs, although late charges from San Carlo Honda Gresini´s Toni Elias and Alex de Angelis moved them above the American.

All thirteen regular MotoGP riders were able to improve over the course of the Thursday run, their last opportunity to ride their 800cc machinery until February of next year. A testing ban comes into place on December 1st.

News - 28/11/2008

Rossi signs off for winter holidays with fastest time in Jerez

World Champion Valentino Rossi set the fastest time in Jerez today on the final day of testing for the year. His Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was third fastest, making it a successful concluding test for the year’s leading team. Rossi spent most of his time today on the new 2009-prototype M1, working on developing the setting and also trying out some new parts for the engine, amongst other things. He set his best time of the day on his 52nd of 54 laps, dipping nearly seven tenths of a second under the lap record with a time of 1’39.429. It was another cold day in Jerez and Lorenzo did not make his first foray on track until 1.30 pm, completing 58 laps before ending his day at 5pm. The 21-year-old spent the entire time today on a test bike, which carries some new prototype parts, familiarising himself with the different machine, working on establishing a base setting and continuing to improve his feeling with the new single-brand tyres. He showed his improvement with a best lap of 1’40.426, just over 0.3 seconds off the current lap record. The team will now have two months to recover from a hard season while the MotoGP testing ban is in force. The next on-track action will be at Sepang in Malaysia on 5th, 6th and 7th February 2009.

Valentino Rossi - Position: 1st Time: 1'39.429 Laps: 54

“The track was a bit drier today and so we were able to improve even more and do a great job. We worked a lot on the new bike and tried some different parts to yesterday, including for the engine and we were quite fast. It seems we’re going in the right direction with this new bike and I am happy about this. I hope that the information we have gathered here will help the engineers to improve the bike and I look forward to the next evolution in Sepang. I think these first tests with the one-tyre rule have been quite positive and Bridgestone have done a good job so far, although for sure they will have a difficult job to decide which tyre for which track. Anyway, I hope that we will have some exciting battles next year with everyone at the same level with their tyres. Now I am looking forward to some holidays and next week I will go to Wales for the rally, which I hope will be a lot of fun. It’s been a fantastic year and I am really happy I have finished at the top today, it’s not a big thing but it gives a good feeling to me and all the team and means we can enjoy our holidays confident that we are in good shape!” Davide Brivio - Team Manager “This has been a positive test for us, and we have finished the year very well. Despite the cold weather allowing us just a few hours to test over these two days, we have been able to go through more or less our entire programme and check everything on the agenda. This means that we have given a lot of valuable information to our Japanese engineers, and this will help them in their development work over the winter. Valentino finished fastest today, which is a great conclusion to the year, and shows that we’re on the right track with the 2009-prototype M1. Now we have some time for rest and so I would like to thank all of the team once again for their hard work and wish them happy holidays!” Jorge Lorenzo - Position: 3rd Time: 1'40.426 Laps: 58 “Today we concentrated on the evolution bike, which has some prototype parts, with a new setting from Valentino. It seems we had a small advantage with this bike and I was able to improve my time, so I am happy about this. This ‘new’ bike is also more stable under acceleration, with less wheelie and the throttle is a bit easier to handle so these are important improvements. The final conclusion of these two days is very positive I think, although we know there is still a lot of margin to improve, both in the bike and in my riding style and of course we need to keep working to better understand the new tyres. Now we start a long holiday and I am looking forward to starting training immediately, because since Valencia I have really been too busy! It will be good to have two months off with my friends and family but I am also looking forward to February in Sepang, when hopefully I will get to try the new engine.” Daniele Romagnoli - Team Manager "This has been a very good test for us, and today we improved our lap time by quite a lot compared with yesterday. Jorge focused on the new bike today and he likes it and was able to make some good laps. The team worked on finding a new setting, which helped us to improve our lap time and, although there is a lot more to work on, it seems with the new bike we have more potential to improve than with the old one so this is very encouraging. We are very happy about Jorge's lap time because he is the first rider who is using new tyres, behind Valentino and Dani who have had a lot more experience with them. Of course we need more time to understand the tyres and how we can use them to their full potential, but we have time. Now finally we have a long winter break for the team, but Yamaha will continue to work hard to improve our bike before the next test in Sepang in February."
Test Times
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1'39.429
2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda 1'39.447
3. Jorge Lorenzo (SPA) Fiat Yamaha Team 1'40.426
4. Toni Elias (SPA) Team San Carlo 1'40.448
5. Alex De Angelis (RSM) Team San Carlo 1'40.486
6. Nicky Hayden (USA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1'40.486
7. Mika Kallio (FIN) Alice Team 1'40.564
8. Colin Edwards (USA) Tech 3 Yamaha 1'40.604
9. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Grupo Francisco Hernando 1'40.856
10. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) Repsol Honda 1'40.966
11. Niccolò Canepa (ITA) Ducati Test 1'41.077
12. James Toseland (GBR) Tech 3 Yamaha 1'41.740
13. Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team 1'42.906
14. Yuki Takahashi (JPN) JiR Team Scot Honda 1'42.918

Jerez: Record Lap D. Pedrosa (Honda) 2008, 1'40.116
Jerez: Best Lap J. Lorenzo (Yamaha) 2008, 1'38.189

Excellent, finished at the top, we wouldnt expect anything else from Vale

well i expect less from him
when i get him alone i want to finish on top
lol

tammerz wrote:well i expect less from him
when i get him alone i want to finish on top
lol

ROFLMAO!!!!

Jerez test: Valentino Rossi ends 2008 on top
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

28 November 2008 10:09


Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi ended his superb 2008 campaign at the top of the timesheets in the final winter test of the year in Jerez.

Rossi, who won nine races to regain the premier class crown in 2008, ended the year on top spot having clocked a best time of 1.39.429 on the 2009 prototype Yamaha YZR-M1.

Get all the latest from the Jerez test
The Italian, who will compete in the Rally of Great Britain in early December, finished just 0.018s ahead of Spaniard Dani Pedrosa as the duo were the only two to break the 1.40 barrier on the final day.

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With cold conditions preventing any track action until 1pm, Rossi was quickly in the groove when he ventured out for the first time at 2pm.

He needed only three laps to move to the top of the timesheets and he clocked the fastest time in his final run of the day on his 52nd lap.

Rossi’s best time was marginally faster than Pedrosa’s best from day one, while he was 0.7s quicker than his own previous best at the two-day test session.

The 29-year-old was also 0.7s inside Pedrosa’s 2008 Spanish lap record.

Rossi tried yet more new engine parts in the ’09 YZR-M1, which also features a new chassis and he said: “In general I am very happy today because I close the year at the top with a good lap time, so it is a great way to finish a fantastic year for me and for Yamaha. It is not that important but for the feeling going into the winter it is good.”

Talking about the new engine parts, Rossi told MCN: “The new parts worked not so bad and it is another step in the right direction. It is an improvement and now the Japanese have some important information to build the new bike for the next test at Sepang in February.

"The new engine parts again helped with acceleration out of the slower corners, which was an area we needed to work in this area. The power now is less aggressive and this is not so bad.”

Rossi also tried the new Dainese suit fitted with the protective airbag system today, though he said: “Luckily I didn’t need to use it, and I hope never to use it.”

MCN Awards: Man of the year as voted by you
By Liam Marsden
Events
03 December 2008 10:34

Eight times MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi received the Man of the year award at the MCN Awards.

The award was voted for by users of motorcyclenews.com and included such stars as Troy Bayliss, James Toseland, Casey Stoner and the late Craig Jones.

Unfortunately Rossi could not be at the awards due to his testing schedule in Jerez, but BBC presenter Suzi Perry was on hand at Jerez to hand the award to the Italian.

Accepting the award, Rossi said: "I am very happy to receive this award and it means so much more to me because it has been voted for by the fans and readers of MCN.

"I always love coming to Britain to race as the fans there are really crazy, Donington Park is one of my favourite circuits and I hope to win there again next year.

"I am sorry I couldn't be there to accept this award in person but I think you will understand that I have to be here in Jerez testing."

awwww poor vale i always knew u would win the WC again and u can come to me to do some winter testing

Congratulations to Vale for winning Man of the Year
He'll always be the Man of my Life

valegirl46 wrote:Congratulations to Vale for winning Man of the Year
He'll always be the Man of my Life

mine also but JT is there aswell

Oh of course, we could never forget about our man JT!!

Rossi vs. Bayliss In WSBK?
by dean adams
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
It was heavily rumored at the Portugal round of the World Superbike championship that Yamaha rider and reigning MotoGP champ Valentino Rossi had considered entering the race and was upset that he didn't after seeing the event on television.

WSBK execs dismissed this story as fiction.

Yet, as the weeks pass, more noises emanate from the Rossi camp about him possibly wanting to race a World Superbike race or three against Troy Bayliss in 2009.

Stepping completely into Conjecture World, if Rossi wants to race a WSBK round against Bayliss, he'd probably want to do so on Italian soil. Monza is May 10, and a second round in Italy will be held on September 27.

Neither of those dates currently conflict with the 2009 MotoGP schedule.

Is Rossi really interested in racing World Superbike or is this just Valentino saber-rattling in order to keep Dorna in line?

When I spoke with Valentino at Yamaha's Vegas dealer show, I asked him how comfortable he was with being recognized as the best rider of all time. Rossi said that he is comfortable with being considered "one of the best" but it is hard for him to think of himself as "the best" rider of all time. "To be that, there is so much more to do," he said.

At this stage in his career the list of accomplishments left for Rossi to attain is much shorter than it was in 1997. He's now at eight world titles and will turn 30 on February 16.

Giacomo Agostini is becoming more prickly the closer Rossi gets to vanquishing more of Ago's win and championship records. Ago says defensively that Rossi will never really beat his lifetime record because Ago won an F-750 race (Daytona) and the class no longer exists.

Ago's at times impressive record notwithstanding, if Rossi is laying awake at night scheming of a way to knock that old man down a peg on the win list he might want to consider asking himself much more complex questions. The number of people who feel Ago is still the greatest ever after Rossi's last ten or so years of riding are very slim.

Rossi has limited time remaining now for the final book end of his racing career. Two more titles, three more MotoGP titles? Very possible. For Rossi, this is still enjoyable. Anyone who goes riding on Christmas day still enjoys racing.

Vanquishing a few of Ago's records has some value, of course. Especially to an Italian. But if he really wants to add to his legend, Rossi might want to think outside the box, and a battle with Bayliss in WSBK might well bolster his legend in ways Ago can't imagine.

MotoGP » Briatore: MotoGP not same if no Rossi.
Friday, 5th December 2008

Renault F1 managing director Flavio Briatore has quelled any possibilities of record-breaking MotoGP star Valentino Rossi moving to F1 with the French squad, insisting MotoGP wouldn't be the same if 'The Doctor' were to leave...

Flavio Briatore has insisted that he would not be willing to offer compatriot and six-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi a seat at Renault in Formula 1, suggesting the Yamaha ace ‘belongs' on two wheels rather than four and that without him the sport would ‘not be half of what it is'.

Aside from his record-breaking exploits in grand prix – with a staggering 97 victories under his belt – Rossi has proved his versatility by branching out into the vastly different disciplines of rallying, including his second participation on this weekend's Wales Rally GB [see separate story – click here], and a number of F1 tests with Ferrari over the past few years, the most recent of which came in celebration of his 2008 title, clinched at Motegi in Japan back in September.

Indeed, the 29-year-old seriously contemplated a switch from two wheels to four several years ago, before ultimately deciding to commit his future to motorcycling.

Whilst recognising the man from Urbino as a popular and flamboyant personality who would do wonders for the all-too clinical world of F1, Briatore is adamant that his countryman is far better off staying put where he is.

“He appeals to everyone, as a rock star does,” the Renault F1 managing director told Italian newspaper Il Riformista, “but I would not give him a car.

“He belongs to the world of bikes. There, he is without an equal, and some say that without him MotoGP would not be half of what it is.”

“He belongs to the world of bikes. There, he is without an equal, and some say that without him MotoGP would not be half of what it is.”

There was never a truer word spoken!!

Italian World Champions´ achievements recognised in homeland
Wednesday, 10 December 2008

Rossi and Simoncelli amongst those receiving `Golden Helmets´ at Bologna Motorshow.



The 2008 World Championship action may be over, but the riders have not been too far away from each other in recent weeks. Aside from meetings on the testing tracks, the multitude of prize-giving ceremonies rewarding the competitors for their efforts over the past year have brought them back into contact during the winter break.

Italy´s most successful riders of the season were on-hand to collect end-of-year honours at this week´s Bologna Motorshow, and naturally the star of the event was MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi. He was presented with a `Golden Helmet´ to add to his accolades for regaining the title.

Also receiving that particular award were 250cc World Champion Marco Simoncelli, MotoGP´s Italian rookie sensation Andrea Dovizioso, 125cc runner-up Simone Corsi and 250cc racewinner Mattia Pasini, all in attendance at the motorshow.

Rossi and Simoncelli will have to make further space in their trophy cabinets before the end of the year. In one week´s time the Italian World Champions will be awarded the Diploma of Honour (Rossi) and Chain of Honour (Simoncelli), typically given to the best Sportsmen of the calendar year. The pair will receive their honours from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday, December 17th.

Valentino Rossi in a world class of his own
All those short-listed are winners; therefore to grade them we have to look at the wins more closely. Valentino Rossi stands head and shoulders above anyone else.

By Brian Moore
Last Updated: 6:24PM GMT 18 Dec 2008



The factors below should allow you to choose, as far as is possible, using the right sporting reasons, not out of sentimentality or by use of subjective criteria.

You should consider whether this person won the highest prize in their sport. More importantly, is the win of wider significance, or a one-off? Did it require excellence over a prolonged period? What was the requisite degree of skill required? Was there a relative degree of danger? Threat of serious injury is a psychological pressure only certain individuals can withstand; but this possibly includes some on this short-list.

Do not take into account what they look like, their human interest story, their background. In fact, any detail not related to performance should be disregarded.

You should not give weight to a person because the event in which they took part was exciting. This could be evidence of fortitude, but it could also be under-performance by a person who ought to have won more easily.

Rossi occupies in his sport the same position as Pele holds in football. For many MotoGP fans, including British, he is a demigod. I say this to put Rossi into context for those of you who do not know he is the most successful motorcycle racer ever.

Experts always make things look easy. Riding a motorcycle is not easy, certainly much more difficult than driving a car, running, throwing or cycling. Handling a motorcycle is very technical and the consequences can be severe if you make a small error.

MotoGP is the equivalent of Formula One without the in-race assistance, both technological and human.

To appreciate how fast MotoGP really is, you have to see it live. Though marginally less quick than F1, it has something that F1 often lacks – genuine head-to-head battles between riders, all of whom flirt with disaster.

When it comes to bravery, you cannot get much higher than riding at 200 mph with nothing between you and tarmac save for protective body pads. There is no steel safety cage or tensioned safety belt.

At these speeds, the slightest touch of wheels, or a mistake in braking can send a rider spinning through the air, praying his bike does not follow him.

In that environment, Rossi's winning of the MotoGP world title 2008 has put him in a unique position within motorcycle racing.

His 69th MotoGP win at Indianapolis broke Giacomo Agostini's record of most premier-class victories, set in 1976.

The title made Rossi the first rider to win the premier-class on four different types of motorcycle: 500cc, 990cc
five-cylinder four-stroke, 990cc four-cylinder four-stroke and 800cc.

He has also has won the world title at 125cc, 250cc and 500cc. This is the equivalent of winning four world titles in different boxing divisions.

It's not just a question of riding a bigger bike. It needs different handling characteristics, reaction times and other subtle, yet important changes technically and mentally. Many champions in lower classes fail to make the jump to higher ones. As James Toseland will attest, winning in one category does not guarantee success higher up.

Rossi, 29, was the only rider to score points all 18 races in 2008, demonstrating astonishing consistency, but it is not until you look at the Italian's career record that you realise that with his performances this year, he has dominated all in his path. When you read the statistics below, consider them not only against other riders, but also drivers in F1.

In a 12-year career, covering grands prix in four different classes, and 207 races, Rossi won 96; nearly one out of two (this includes the early years as a novice), he was in pole position 51 times, almost one in four. He was on the podium 148 times, nearly three out of four races.

See what I mean?

These amazing numbers must take into account that in 2004 Rossi switched teams. This is not just simply getting on a new bike. A different set-up was required to be absorbed, differences in every aspect of planning and preparation and working on an unfamiliar piece of equipment with mechanics that he did not know – all in the brief off-season.

Rossi's debut victory for Yamaha at the opening race of in South Africa made him the first rider in history to take back-to-back wins for different manufacturers.

That this had never been done before, despite the legendary riders that went before, including Barry Sheene, shows how difficult this challenge was.

You may think all this is sufficient to give Rossi your vote now but this year Rossi has also demonstrated he has potential on four wheels.

Rossi tested a Ferrari Formula One car at Mugello in Italy following his MotoGP title and completed nearly 30 laps with fastest lap time of 1min 22.5sec. Ferrari's last Mugello F1 test driver, Kimi Raikkonen, posted a top time of 1-21.079, only 1.5sec quicker. And Rossi's session was shortened by bad weather.

In contrast to the smooth tracks of F1 and MotoGP, Rossi finished 11th in the notoriously tough Rally New Zealand 2006 without regular rally driving.

Just occasionally a sportsman comes along and sets himself apart. They move the whole sport forward and everybody, whether friend or foe, agrees his iconic status.

Even if know nothing about, or dislike bike racing you must recognise the titanic sportsman that is Rossi.

If you vote dispassionately, free from preconception, considering what really counts for a person to win this accolade, you should vote for Rossi.

Many of the nominees fulfil many of the criteria that should decide the Sportsperson of 2008; none fulfil as many as Rossi.

Of course, you could always be British and vote for the nicest person.

pandora46 wrote:MotoGP » Briatore: MotoGP not same if no Rossi.
Friday, 5th December 2008

Renault F1 managing director Flavio Briatore has quelled any possibilities of record-breaking MotoGP star Valentino Rossi moving to F1 with the French squad, insisting MotoGP wouldn't be the same if 'The Doctor' were to leave...

Flavio Briatore has insisted that he would not be willing to offer compatriot and six-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi a seat at Renault in Formula 1, suggesting the Yamaha ace ‘belongs' on two wheels rather than four and that without him the sport would ‘not be half of what it is'.

Aside from his record-breaking exploits in grand prix – with a staggering 97 victories under his belt – Rossi has proved his versatility by branching out into the vastly different disciplines of rallying, including his second participation on this weekend's Wales Rally GB [see separate story – click here], and a number of F1 tests with Ferrari over the past few years, the most recent of which came in celebration of his 2008 title, clinched at Motegi in Japan back in September.

Indeed, the 29-year-old seriously contemplated a switch from two wheels to four several years ago, before ultimately deciding to commit his future to motorcycling.

Whilst recognising the man from Urbino as a popular and flamboyant personality who would do wonders for the all-too clinical world of F1, Briatore is adamant that his countryman is far better off staying put where he is.

“He appeals to everyone, as a rock star does,” the Renault F1 managing director told Italian newspaper Il Riformista, “but I would not give him a car.

“He belongs to the world of bikes. There, he is without an equal, and some say that without him MotoGP would not be half of what it is.”

that is so right motogp will not be the same if vale left i wouldnt watch it again if vale left