Valentino Rossi press articles

Fiat sign new Yamaha deal
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

05 November 2008 09:32


Fiat has signed a new two-year deal to remain as title sponsor of Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo’s factory Yamaha MotoGP squad.

There had been fears that Fiat would withdraw its sponsorship with car sales hit hard by the current economic crisis.

But with Malaysian fuel giant Petronas waiting in the wings to take over the title sponsorship of world champion Rossi's squad, Fiat confirmed last Friday on an October 31 deadline that it would continue to back Yamaha.

Fiat first sponsored Yamaha in 2007, and Masao Furusawa, Executive Officer Engineering Operations of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. “I heartily welcome the extension of the agreement with Fiat as title sponsor of our MotoGP Factory Team for another two years. We will be working to continue the great partnership that resulted in the Fiat Yamaha Team winning the triple crown in 2008”.

Lin Jarvis, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Racing added: “We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Fiat for a further two years. It remains a very interesting mix for an Italian car manufacturer to be partner of a Japanese motorcycle manufacturer in the world’s premier motorcycle racing series.

"After a tough first season in 2007 we were really happy to win the triple crown titles this year for Yamaha and for Fiat. Fiat’s decision to continue for a further two years is a sign of confidence in our activities and a strong confirmation of the value of being involved in the MotoGP championship.

"Our target for the future is clear: we want to continue with our winning ways and provide even more excitement for the fans of the Fiat Yamaha Team”.

Rossi to test Ferrari at Mugello
Posted Today, 4:53 AM by GMM


Nov.6 (GMM) Valentino Rossi's Ferrari test will take place over two days later this month at Mugello.

The Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport said the event, in homage to the 29-year-old MotoGP rider's latest title triumph, will be held at the Ferrari-owned circuit on 20 and 21 November.

Rossi tested for the famous Maranello marque several times in 2005 and 2006, as the two sides contemplated joining forces.

In 2008, however, it has been made clear his Ferrari test is for fun only.

Gazzetta said the test has been given the personal approval of Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo.

Jerry Burgess worried for Valentino Rossi’s rivals
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

07 November 2008 10:15


Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess believes the switch to a single make tyre rule for 2009 could have potentially dire consequences for the world title aspirations of Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa.

The Aussie reckons it will be even harder to defeat the Italian in the future now that the entire premier class field will all run on Bridgestone rubber.

“If I was a rider out there now I wouldn’t want to be on the same stuff as Valentino Rossi. That’s a tough call, “said Burgess, who believes Rossi will still be dominant and that MotoGP will not be significantly improved as a spectacle.

He added: “It was virtually a mono tyre several years ago without a regulation with Michelin in 500s and we saw some pretty uninteresting racing there with Mick (Doohan) clearing away and winning races. When it was Mick and Valentino in the past with everyone on the same brand, those guys did most of the winning, so nothing will change.”

And Burgess still believes that moving to a single-tyre rule is bad for the premier class world championship.

He said: “To me its taking away the reason we go prototype racing, which is to improve bikes and technical partners and the engineering challenge which can make motorcycles better and safer in the future. It’s a disappointing decision given we are in prototype racing and we need a many technical contributors, so we can to differentiate ourselves from the World Superbike category.”

Agostini untroubled by Rossi record-breaking


Monday, 10 November 2008


MotoGP Legend pays tribute to 2008 MotoGP World Champion

A MotoGP legend and a man regarded by some as the greatest rider of all time, Giacomo Agostini saw his premier class win record broken by Valentino Rossi at this year´s race in Indianapolis. The previous milestone of 67 had been matched by the 2008 MotoGP World Champion at the preceding race in Misano.

Another attendee at the EICMA show in Milan, Agostini revealed that Rossi´s taking his record for that particular honour had not made him overly concerned, and took the opportunity to remind fans of his other achievements in a barbed bouquet of sorts.
`Regarding records, I congratulated him on beating mine because I wasn´t that bothered about it. I won 123 world championship races, 13 world titles and 301 races in total, they´re the numbers I´m interested in,´ said Agostini wryly. `Valentino asked me if it was okay to overtake me if he ever beat that and it was nice to be so well respected like that from someone like him.´
Rossi also joined Agostini in becoming the only riders to win premier class World Championships with a two-year gap between title triumphs.

Although the MotoGP Legend was full of praise for the achievements by the man regarded as his natural successor –both in terms of success and charisma- he would not commit to whether this would be the start of another era of Rossi dominance.
`It´s difficult to find the words to describe Valentino. This was one of his best ever seasons and he did it coming back from some difficult moments and that makes it even more special.

Valentino is incredibly talented and has lots of experience, which probably made the difference this year. However, Casey Stoner can´t be ignored after what he did in 2007. I also think we´ll discover two new riders who will take them on: Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo. Watch out for them,´ warned the Italian.

Rossi set for latest Ferrari test drive
Tuesday, 11 November 2008

MotoGP World Champion undertakes first test with Formula 1 car since February 2006.



2008 MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi will be back behind the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 car before the end of the month, taking part in a private test at Mugello as reward for his title victory. Italian news agency ANSA report that the Fiat Yamaha rider will be using the F2008 car, as ridden by regular drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen in races this year.

The test will take place next Friday and Saturday (November 20th-21st), less than a week before Rossi returns to the more familiar world of two wheels for the MotoGP Official Test in Jerez.

Rossi´s previous outings in the cockpit have included two appearances at Ferrari´s Fiorano test track, one at the Mugello circuit where he has dominated in MotoGP, and an Official Formula 1 test appearance at Valencia. The latter, held in February of 2006, saw the MotoGP star lapping at little over half-a-second slower than times recorded by the then-active Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher. He had driven faster than some of the series´regulars on the opening day.

Whilst previous tests were carried out as an informal trial of sorts, to assess Rossi´s aptitude for car racing with a possible view to a switch in disciplines, this latest run is strictly for fun. The Italian will also be indulging another of his interests, rally driving, when he participates in this weekend´s Monza Rally and the British round of the WRC series next month.

That 70s Show: Rossi's Heroes
by Dean Adams

Monday, November 10, 2008

A few years ago I collaborated with Valentino Rossi when he was the guest editor of the Italian version of GQ magazine. Ross and GQ Editor Michele Lupi worked on an issue plan and assigned me to write a story on Barry Sheene and the '70s racing scene in the US.

Rossi is, as you might imagine, a big fan of the colorful 1970s era of racing in the US when everyone drove vans, wore bell-bottoms and long hair. One of the photographs submitted for the story and used in the published piece was his favorite, Rossi told Lupi. It is the attached image of Barry Sheene sitting on a cool Harley chopper, sans front brakes.

For the Italian mega-star his love for the American racing scene begins with Steve McQueen and ends with Kevin Schwantz.

"Not John Wayne," he said. "A little too much before my time. But Steve McQueen for sure, one of my idols when I was growing up and an icon today. Is anyone cooler? For riders, when I was young it was always Rainey and Schwantz. Rainey for the control and Schwantz because, you know, he was fu**ing crazy."

Valentino Rossi looking forward to new Sete Gibernau battle
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

13 November 2008 12:27


Reigning MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi says he is looking forward to renewing his rivalry with former foe Sete Gibernau in the 2009 MotoGP world championship.

Rossi and Gibernau were once paddock friends before their relationship deteriorated at the back end of the 2004 campaign.

And their rivalry reached its peak at the Spanish GP in Jerez in 2005 when Rossi claimed a dramatic victory at the final corner with a move that saw Gibernau end up in the gravel.

Fiat Yamaha rider Rossi though reckons he’s happy to see the Spaniard back in premier class action after Gibernau decided to step out of retirement to make a shock return next season.

He will ride for the Onde 2000 Ducati squad and Rossi said: “I am sorry I didn't see Sete on the track when we tested in Valencia because I think it's quite a big emotion for us to be together on the track again after all our great battles. I am happy to see him back. We spoke a little bit in the summer when he was thinking about coming back and I’m looking forward to racing him again.”

Looking ahead to 2009 though and the defence of his world title, eight-times world champion Rossi believes the biggest threat will come from the likes of chief 2008 rival Casey Stoner, factory Honda rider Dani Pedrosa and Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

He has also backed new Repsol Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso and new Ducati recruit Nicky Hayden to figure prominently next season.

The six-times MotoGP champion added: “It will be very different with a one tyre rule but I hope it will be exciting. But I think it will be very hard, especially with Lorenzo, Dovizioso, Stoner, Hayden and Pedrosa.”

Interview with Valentino Rossi and his father: a family saga that's not so common

The name Rossi, in Italy, is a bit like Smith in English - a very common name that could trick you into thinking the people who carry it are very common people too. But in the case of Valentino Rossi and his family, things are seldom what they seem.

An exposé on Valentino Rossi from the monthly Riders magazine reveals there are enough differences between him and his father Graziano that you could write a book about them. The magazine’s August issue has dedicated a piece on the Rossi family that is unlike any other previously published.

The feature on Rossi and his father shows off a continual tit for tat between the two, including family stories and anecdotes about a young boy who felt too tall. Valentino, now a man, admits: “I would like to be a father. But I would like a girl rather than a boy. Why? I don’t know, I like the idea.”


Valentino is never what you expect, always full of surprises. Joking, he puts on the braces his father always wears, while Graziano pretends to wear a Fiat Yamaha Team outfit. The interview reveals two men incapable of expressing their feelings and saying “I love you”. But as Graziano says, “It’s better that way because if I said it to Valentino he would say ‘me too’, but if it was the opposite I would look at him and say ‘Vale are you feeling okay?’”

Things have changed in the last year, especially with Valentino’s tax scandal. As he says: “Graziano, lately our relationship has become closer. Even before, we got along well, but you understood before me that something had to change. You were right. You are now a fundamental part of my organisation: you are the general manager of Vale 46 and my mentor.”

But here are some more of the funnier anecdotes:

On women: Graziano doesn’t beat around the bush here: “You and I were perhaps equal here when I was 40 and you were 16. A month ago I looked around for you for three days in vain and then some photos came out of you and a brunette on the boat and I said ‘finally I get where the f*** you were!’”

The beginning: how could there not be a link with the man who contributed to the making of a motorcycle legend? Graziano remembers how it all started: “At three years old you were a total victim of my craziness. In an industrial zone you made a little obstacle course and attached your toy car to a scooter.

“You sat in the car which, obviously, at every bend would go sideways and you were already learning how to control a wheel and you enjoyed yourself like crazy. In this image is our life, or the fast part of our life.”

Tantrums: from Graziano this time, during the days of the minimoto, when Vale gave up at the difficult part. As Valentino relates: “He took the minimoto and he threw it in the car and he said ‘now we’re going home because you can’t give up here, this is not a sport for cowards.’”

Races: For Valentino the best race from Graziano was at Imola in ‘79, in the Cup of Nations with the 500 “when you beat even Kenny Roberts”. Graziano replies: “In your races the one that I prefer is the 500 debut at Donington. I knew then that you were seriously good.”

Hard times: Not only good memories, but bad ones too, are always told with a smile. As Rossi junior says: “One time you thought that there were two laps to go but there was only one. And scared that your competitor was going to overtake you, you gave too much gas and 500 metres from the finish, you fell.”

But Graziano vendicates himself reminding Valentino of the first time he tried a real bike - a Cagiva 125, at 13 years old: “You fell twice in two laps, on the same bend. When you returned to the garage you asked us ‘are we sure this is the job for us?’”.

Valentino Rossi: Dani Pedrosa must improve overtaking
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

19 November 2008 15:21


Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi believes Honda rival Dani Pedrosa must become more ruthless in the heat of battle to stake a claim to the 2009 MotoGP world crown.

One weakness Pedrosa has yet to overcome in the premier class is overtaking, with most of his victories won in runaway fashion without any major pressure.

And when he has had to dice it out at the front with the likes of Rossi and Australian Casey Stoner, he invariably comes off second best.

Rossi said: “For me Dani is not very strong to overtake because his riding style is not perfect for overtaking. He has to improve in this areas because some of the others are very strong.”

Rossi though still believes that the Spaniard, who has yet to mount a serious title challenge since he moved to Repsol Honda in 2006, will be one of the favourites next season having raced on Bridgestone tyres for the last five races, “Dani was not at our level in some of those races, not at the level of me and Casey for sure.

"He didn’t have enough experience with Bridgestone tyres, so he didn’t know the limit of the tyres. He didn’t know exactly which tyre to choose for the race, so he needed more races.”

thanks valegirl

and as alway valentino is so right

Your welcome Trudi

Ya it'll be interesting to see how Dani gets on compared to the rest of them switching to bridgestone because he has had that five race advantage.

well the tyres arent going to give him that "step on their throat" mentality

tammerz wrote:well the tyres arent going to give him that "step on their throat" mentality

No it won't Tam but it'll give give him that slight advantage against others who have to start on Bridgestone from scratch.

Rossi impresses in Ferrari F1 test
1 hour ago

ROME (AFP) — Moto GP world champion Valentino Rossi showed he is almost as quick on four wheels as he is on two as he impressed while testing a Ferrari on Thursday.

The Italian, known as Il Dottore (The Doctor) to his adoring fans, has previously tested a Ferrari Formula One car amid speculation that he may one day switch from racing motorbikes to cars.

He has already proved more than capable on four wheels, finishing second at the invitational Rally of Monza last week behind three-time Le Mans winner Rinaldo Capello.

On Thursday morning he completed 30 laps of the famous Mugello circuit at Scarperia, just outside Florence, clocking a fastest time of 1min 23.930sec in the Ferrari F2008.

That was less than three seconds slower than the time set by Ferrari's test driver Luca Badoer and just over five seconds off the lap record, set by Rubens Barrichello in a Ferrari in 2004.

Rossi, who won his eighth world title and sixth in the top Moto GP class in September, had stated prior to testing the Ferrari that he wanted to get within one second of the lap record.

He still has a day and a half of testing to reach his objective.

Is Rossi really the best?
By Al Rackham

MotoGP

19 November 2008 16:15


I've been thinking about all the bike racing i've watched this year and it set me thinking about who really is the best.

It seems to me that valentino rossi ain't bad, but is he the best? yeah he might be the world champion at motogp, but it seems that he hasn't had to work half as hard as troy bayliss to become champ this year (who, by the way, kicked all the motogp boys asses in his last wildcard ride). even the bsb boys have shown just how good they are at world level.

Then there are the road racing boys, such as guy martin, john maguiness ian lougher, cameron donald to name a few who in my opinion are the real hard men of racing. I'd certainly like to see the motogp wusses have a go at the isle of man (if they dare!).

Through the Internet I have found quite a bit of Irish road racing & it just blows me away. Even the clever use of onboard footage. Whoever edits the BBC NI bike footage knows what they are about & it gives you a real idea of what it's like on the bikes.

These guys are doing pretty much WSBK speeds on public roads with no comfy gravel trap, just a hawthorn hedge if yer lucky. then I look at MotoGP & think talented yes, the real heroes of bike racing I'm not so sure. How do you compare them? can you compare them? I certainly think that more Irish road racing coverage would be excellent in MCN next year.

It would be great to see an article, or even series of articles looking at the differences, and similarities. to build up a picture of who really is the best. it would be interesting to understand why guy martin is one of the top road racers, yet rarely makes the top 15 in BSB? how would the track racers fair on the road circuits and vice versa.

On a lighter note how about an article on how to make motogp more interesting. for instance pointing out to the riders that they are actually racing against each other and not just riding round for half an hour.

What about a night race, but turning the lights off for a few seconds at random intervals throughout the race? Or perhaps having the marshalls throw water filled balloons as they ride past? Nicking an f1 idea, how about a million dollar purse for the best crash? - that should really liven things up!

Looking forward to next year's racing and more of MCN's excellent coverage.

Jerry Burgess: 2004 still Valentino Rossi’s best MotoGP title win
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

19 November 2008 14:06


Valentino Rossi’s crew chief Jerry Burgess reckons the Italian’s maiden world title for Yamaha back in 2004 still beats his impressive comeback in 2008.

Rossi roared back to form last season with nine victories as he won back the premier class crown he had last taken for Yamaha back in 2005.

Rossi beat closest rival Casey Stoner by nearly 100-points in a record-breaking campaign.

Click here for a free sample of the 'Rossi- Celebrating the Greatest' MCN special edition
But despite becoming the most successful rider in history, surpassing Giacomo Agostini’s record of 68 wins in Indianapolis, Aussie Burgess reckons the 2004 success is still the standout win for him.

Rossi stunned the racing world when he won the ’04 title in his first attempt for Yamaha and Burgess told MCN: “There were the established Honda riders that year and we were banned from testing and asked to take a different sort of motorcycle from nothing to a winner. It took 10 years off our lives to get it to world championship status. When we did that at Phillip Island that year I don’t think there was a face in the he garage that was smiling because we were so exhausted. That year was a far greater achievement in my mind.”

MotoGP » Rossi 'would've been excellent F1 driver'.
Thursday, 20th November 2008

Ferrari F1 team principal says MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi would have been an excellent F1 driver.

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team principal Stefano Domenicali believes reigning six-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi "would have been an excellent F1 driver" had he chosen to switch to four-wheels at the end of 2006.

Domenicali was speaking after day one of Rossi's return to a Ferrari F1 car, at a special two-day test session at Mugello. The test is Rossi's fifth with Ferrari but, this time, it really does seem to be "just for fun" - both Rossi and Ferrari reflecting on what might have been, rather than what might happen.

"With a lot of work I could have become a good F1 driver," Reuters reports Rossi as saying, after he had set a best Thursday lap time within 1.5sec of the past Mugello best by Ferrari F1 drivers Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen and Luca Badoer. "It is hard to say if I would have become a winner or not, but the potential was there."

Domenicali - who guided Raikkonen to the 2007 Formula One World Championship and took Massa to within one point of the 2008 crown - believes Rossi would have been "excellent".

"Vale would have been an excellent Formula One driver, but he chose a different road," Domenicali declared.

Rossi first drove a Ferrari F1 car in 2004. Further private tests followed before Rossi took part in his most 'serious' F1 outing, a multi-team test at Valencia in 2006, seen by many as the make-or-break moment for Rossi in F1.

Driving alongside the majority of the F1 grid, Rossi finished the test twelfth and within 1.5sec of fastest man - and reigning F1 champion - Fernando Alonso (Renault). Rossi's best lap was just 0.711secs from Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher.

However, direct comparisons were difficult because most drivers were using the new-for-2006 2.4 litre V8 engines, while Rossi was given a 3 litre V10 engine "limited to reproduce the conditions set out in the 2006 regulations". Rossi's chassis was also of an older design, but that didn't stop speculation of an F1 switch reaching fever pitch in the weeks and months that followed.

However, the #46 committed his future to MotoGP on the eve of his home Italian Grand Prix in June of 2006 and didn't return to an F1 car until today.

"It's two days of pure fun for us and Vale, although we're doing serious work; you can see that how he prepared himself physically," said Domenicali of the Mugello test. "He's part of our family and that's why we wanted to give him this opportunity; we're happy to be together once again; two Italian symbols like Ferrari and Valentino Rossi."

Rossi has a Yamaha MotoGP contract in place until the end of the 2010 season, by which time he will be 31-years-old.

Im so glad Vale didnt go to F1, I already find it hard to comprehend what moto gp will be like when he retires

I could become top F1 driver, says moto champ Rossi

ROME (AFP) — Motorcycling world champion Valentino Rossi said he believed he could become a top Formula One driver after impressing while testing a Ferrari on Thursday.

The Italian has previously tested a Ferrari F1 car amid speculation that he may one day switch from racing motorbikes to cars.

He has already proved more than capable on four wheels, finishing second at the invitational Rally of Monza last week behind three-time Le Mans winner Rinaldo Capello.

On Thursday morning he completed 30 laps of the famous Mugello circuit at Scarperia, just outside Florence, clocking a fastest time of 1min 23.930sec in the Ferrari F2008.

He got that time down to 1:22.5 in the afternoon session before bad weather cut the outing short.

"The times we did in Fiorano, here and in Valencia have been analysed and with some good hard work and lots of effort I could become a good Formula One driver," said Rossi.

"It's difficult to say whether or not I would win, but the potential is definitely there."

His time was only around a second and a half slower than the times posted by Ferrari's regular pair Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, and that posted by Ferrari's test driver Luca Badoer on the same day.

He was also under four seconds off the lap record, set by Rubens Barrichello in a Ferrari in 2004.

Rossi also spoke about fellow world champion Lewis Hamilton of McLaren and Massa, the man who pushed the Briton right to the wire.

"I saw the last race of the F1 season this year and sincerely I have to take my hat off to Massa because he did brilliantly and with respect to the driver he was when he debuted with Ferrari, he has improved a lot," added Rossi.

"I think Hamilton is very fast. Watching him drive he seems to be someone on the edge who has the guts to overtake.

"I support Ferrari and I'm sorry for Massa but I also think that Hamilton deserved to win the title."

Rossi, who won his eighth world title and sixth in the top Moto GP class in September, had stated prior to testing the Ferrari that he wanted to get within one second of the lap record.

He still has another shot at that as he will continue testing on Friday, although as Massa and Raikkonen have not managed to get that close to Barrichello's time in the F2008, it's highly unlikely that Rossi will hit that objective.

Rossi: How I learnt to lose and love my bike
Friday, 21 November 2008

2008 MotoGP World Champion explains how disappointment and changes spurred him on to regain title.


From the disappointment of 2006 and 2007, Valentino Rossi came back strong in 2008. The MotoGP World Champion with a record-breaking points total, the Fiat Yamaha rider used the bad experiences of his dry two years to his own advantage this past season, as he himself acknowledges.

`I think that in those two years I learnt to lose, which is an important thing because everybody loses sometimes. The style and the character that you show when you lose is so important for when trying to win another time,´ says the Italian on reflection of his most recent MotoGP campaign.

`There are a lot of different keys to my success in 2008. For sure the physical and mental preparation was very important, because I tried to fix one-by-one all the problems around me to arrive at the first race very concentrated on the target,´ adds Rossi, who had attempted to address one of said problems with a switch in tyre manufacturers before the season´s start.

I´m very happy with my work together with the team when Bridgestone had some problems, especially at the beginning of the year. I had a lot of pressure on me, because Michelin did a great job at the start and everybody said that I had made a mistake in changing tyres.

`The change gave me a lot of extra motivation, but to start with it was difficult; we had to modify the settings on the bike and also my own riding style.´

`The Doctor´ is also much more at home with his bike, despite having to make the radical changes to suit his new rubber. A step up in quality from Yamaha was a welcome move for the now six-time MotoGP World Champion, and appears high up on his list of explanations for personal improvement.

`Last year our bike was very slow, it wasn´t just the tyres. I felt a great improvement and a great effort from Yamaha to improve the M1. I felt in my skin that in every test the Japanese worked very strong so I tried to do even better,´ he explains.

As Yamaha continue work on the bike for 2009, Rossi´s rival will also be pushing hard. All of the top five gave the MotoGP king a hard time in various races this past season, and he expects nothing less of them in the coming year.

`Stoner I expected to challenge for sure, because in 2007 he was very, very strong. I always like Pedrosa because for me he rides very well, so I expect him to be very strong. Lorenzo arrived from two World Championships in 250cc was strong from the beginning; I know he has a good talent. Also Dovizioso. He is very strong and he was good on a bike that this year was a bit slower than the factory bike. In the future he will be a difficult enemy.´

Jerry Burgess: Valentino Rossi tougher to beat in 2009
By Matthew Birt

MotoGP

21 November 2008 14:24


Valentino Rossi’s legendary Aussie crew chief Jerry Burgess believes the eight-times world champion will be tougher to beat in 2009 than at any other stage in his successful career.

The 29-year-old Italian will be bidding for his seventh premier class world title in 2009 having dominated in 2008 with nine wins to romp to the crown with three races to spare.

And Burgess reckons the Fiat Yamaha rider will provide even tougher opposition next season, with Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa all tipped as title challengers in ’09.

Burgess told MCN: “I think the young guys now realise these wins Valentino has aren’t just numbers, he is actually good. The next five years will be a very good period because there is great potential for Jorge and Casey and some others. But as long as Valentino feels competitive and that he’s enjoying it, he’ll race at the front.

"We will never see him riding around to make up the numbers and finishing off the podium if he has a competitive bike. He’ll be as strong as ever next year.”

MotoGP » Rossi 2008: The numbers.
Sunday, 23rd November 2008

Facts and figures for Valentino Rossi's title winning 2008 MotoGP season.


Back in front: Rossi first led across the start/finish line of a 2008 MotoGP race on lap 5 of the Qatar season opener. It was the first time Rossi had led a MotoGP race with Bridgestone tyres. Rossi's first Bridgestone podium came at round two and first win at round four.

Slow starter: Rossi's average position at the end of lap 1 of a race was 5th. Rossi only led at the end of the first lap once (Laguna Seca) and his worst race start was at Assen, where a lap one accident left him 14th and last. On average, Rossi lost one place on the opening lap of each race.

Biggest fightback: Rossi's biggest fightback was at Phillip Island, where he qualified 12th and finished lap one in 8th position, before rising to 2nd by the finish.
When to lead: Rossi 'only' led 170 of the 465 race laps this season (37%). The latest Rossi took the race lead was lap 14 of 20 at Indianapolis.

Dry and wet: Of Rossi's nine race wins 8 were in the dry and 1 (Indianapolis) in the wet.

Streaks: Rossi longest winning streak was 5 races (Laguna Seca to Motegi) and his longest podium streak was 9 races (Sachsenring to Valencia).

Qualifying: Rossi's average qualifying position for a race was 4th. He qualified on pole just 2 times with his worst qualifying sessions at Phillip Island (12th) and Valencia (10th). On average, Rossi qualified 0.659sec behind pole.

Ready to race: Rossi's average finishing positioning in a race was 2nd, two places higher than his average starting position.

Getting stronger: Rossi scored 167 points during the first nine rounds, but 206 during the last nine.

First half vs second:
First nine rounds: 3 (wins), 7 (podiums), 1 (pole), 2 (fastest laps)
Last nine rounds: 6 (wins), 9 (podiums), 1 (pole), 3 (fastest laps).

Winning big, losing bigger: Rossi's average race-winning margin was 6.020sec, but when he lost his average margin of defeat was 11.771sec.
Biggest and closest: Rossi's biggest race win was by 15.004sec over Toni Elias at Brno and his closest was by 1.943sec over Casey Stoner at Motegi.

When to push: Rossi only set 5 fastest laps this season. His average fastest lap ranking in a race was 2nd and the average location of his fastest lap was at 39.3% race distance. The earliest Rossi delivered his fastest race lap was on lap 2 (of 21) at Sepang and the latest lap 18 (of 22) at Shanghai.

Straight line speed: Rossi's average top speed ranking over a grand prix weekend during the 2008 season was 6th. Rossi didn't set the highest top speed at any of the 18 rounds, with his best top speed ranking being 3rd (three times) and his lowest 10th (Motegi).
Rivals getting faster? On average, Rossi was ranked 5th in terms of weekend top speed during the first half of the 2008 season, but slipped to an average of 7th during the second half, suggesting rival machines made greater gains as the year went on.

Yamaha vs. Yamaha: Rossi was the top qualifying Yamaha rider at only 8 rounds, but finished as the top Yamaha race rider at 15 of the 18 rounds. Team-mate Jorge Lorenzo was the highest placed Yamaha rider at Qatar and Estoril, with Tech 3's Colin Edwards leading the M1 challenge at Assen.

Bridgestone vs. Bridgestone: Rossi was the top qualifying Bridgestone rider at 5 rounds and was the top Bridgestone race rider at 12 of the 18 rounds.

Races to spare: Rossi's end of season championship winning margin was 93 points over Casey Stoner, equivalent to nearly four race wins.

For comparison, Rossi won the 2005 title by 147 points (over Marco Melandri), the 2004 title by 47 points (over Sete Gibernau), the 2003 title by 80 points (over Sete Gibernau), the 2002 title by 140 points (over Max Biaggi) and the 2001 title by 106 points (over Max Biaggi).
Six to one: Rossi's record breaking 373 points was more than the combined total of the lowest six (full time) riders in the 2008 world championship - Sylvain Guintoli (67), Alex de Angelis (63), Randy de Puniet (61), John Hopkins (57), Marco Melandri (51) and Anthony West (50).

Points mean prizes: Rossi was the only rider to score points in every race this season. Andrea Dovizioso, Shinya Nakano and Sylvain Guintoli scored points in all but one round.

One man band? Rossi contributed 341 points to Yamaha's 2008 constructors' championship total of 402 and his 373 riders' points made up the majority of Fiat Yamaha's teams' championship total of 563.

Rossi´s Ferrari test `more exciting than difficult´
Friday, 21 November 2008

2008 MotoGP World Champion ponders what might have been after opening day of testing with Formula 1 car.




Valentino Rossi began the first of two days of testing with the Ferrari F2008 on Thursday, his first drive with the Formula 1 machine in nearly three years. The Italian may not have been familiar with the latest model of the car, but the location was one that he knows like the back of his hand; the Mugello circuit in Italy where he has been unbeatable in the premier class since 2002.

The 2008 MotoGP World Champion clocked a fastest time of 1´22.550, around 1.5 seconds down on the time recorded by ex-Formula 1 king and regular Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen in a September test at the same circuit. Rossi undertook a total of 64 laps with the F2008, adorned with his trademark 46 racing number.

Rossi found the limits of the car with a few early spins, but was left pleased with the results of his opening day behind the wheel.

`I´d done some special neck training beforehand, but the day was more exciting than difficult;´ the Fiat Yamaha rider told press agency ANSA. `I think that I had the potential to have been a good driver, based on the tests that we did before in Fiorano and later Valencia. What I don´t know is whether I could have been a winning driver or not.´

Rossi´s test –a reward for his MotoGP title win- continues on Friday.

Rossi using 2008 & 2009 Yamaha M1 bikes for Jerez analysis
Wednesday, 26 November 2008

Second on the timesheet on day one in Jerez, MotoGP World Champion clocks his fastest time with latest prototype.


Chilly conditions failed to put Valentino Rossi´s progress on ice at Jerez, with the 2008 MotoGP World Champion feeling ever-more-comfortable on the 2009 Yamaha M1 prototype. The Italian tested the bike for the second time on Wednesday afternoon, braving the cold conditions to work with the machine in a three-hour stint.

The Italian was second on the timesheet behind Dani Pedrosa and, like his Repsol Honda rival, was using both the latest machinery and the model used at the end of the 2008 season. Particularly pleasing for Rossi was the fact that his quickest time of 1´40.135 came with the 2009 bike.

`I am happy about this first day because my performance has been good from the beginning and I have been fast all day,´ said Rossi after his 1:30pm-onwards session. `Unfortunately it´s been quite cold and there were 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, then we also tested several new things on the prototype bike, and I am happy because I did my fastest lap with this bike.´

Rossi has far less rubber at his disposal than before as a consequence of the new single-tyre rule, but was happy with the eight tyres available. Two front and two rear specifications, provided in duplicate, were nonetheless to the reigning titlist´s liking.

`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. They have also 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,´ concluded the 29 year-old.