Profile of Valentino Rossi October 2001

500cc World Champion, 2001

  • Birth date: 16/02/1979
    Birth place: Urbino, Italy
  • First Grand Prix: 1996 Malaysia 125cc
    First Pole Position: 1996 Czech Republic 125cc
    First Race Fastest Lap: 1996 France 125cc
    First Podium: 1996 Austria 125cc
    First GP Victory: 1996 Czech Republic 125cc
  • Grand Prix Starts 90
    500cc Starts 30
    250cc Starts 30
    125cc Starts 30
  • Grand Prix Victories 37
    500cc Victories 11
    250cc Victories 14
    125cc Victories 12
    2nd Placements 10
    3rd placements 10
  • Podium 57
    Pole Positions 14
    Race Fastest Lap 33
  • World Championship Wins 3
    1997 125cc
    1999 250cc
    2001 500cc
  • Total Points (ongoing streak) 1426
  • Profile:

  • Born February 16, 1979 in Urbino. Son of Graziano Rossi, who was third in the 1979 250cc World Championship on a Morbidelli. He begins his sporting career in 1990 in mini-moto competitions.
  • In 1993 he debuts with Cagiva in the Italian 125cc Sport Production championship, where he has his first victories, subsequently taking the title in 1994.
  • In 1995 he rides in the European Championships as an official Aprilia rider, finishing the season in third place.
  • The very same year he retains his Italian 125cc Championship crown.
  • 1996: World Championship debut at the 125cc Malaysian GP riding an Aprilia in Team Scuderia AGV.
    Final Championship position: 9th with 111 points
    1 victory: Czech Republic
  • 1997: Becomes second youngest ever 125cc World Champion riding an Aprilia for the Nastro Azzurro Team.
    Final Championship position: 1st with 321 points
    11 wins: Malaysia, Spain, Italy, France, Netherlands, Imola, Germany, Brazil, Great Britain, Catalunya and Indonesia.
  • 1998: Moves up to 250cc class riding an Aprilia for the Nastro Azzurro Team.
    Final Championship position: 2nd with 201 points
    5 wins: Netherlands, Imola, Catalunya, Australia and Argentina.
  • 1999: Becomes the youngest ever 250cc World Champion riding for the Aprilia Grand Prix Racing Team.
    Final Championship position: 1st with 309 points
    9 wins: Spain, Italy, Catalunya, Great Britain, Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, South Africa and Brazil.
  • 2000: Moves up to the premier 500cc class riding a Honda for the Nastro Azzuro Team.
    Final Championship position: 2nd with 209 points
    2 wins: Great Britain and Brazil
  • 2001: Takes the 500cc World Championship riding a Honda for the Nastro Azzuro Team.
    Final Championship position: 1st - 275 points after 14 of 16 rounds.
    9 wins: Japan, South Africa, Spain, Catalunya, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Portugal, Pacific and Australia.
  • Other facts about Rossi's career:
  • Rossi is the youngest ever rider to win titles in three different classes. The only other two riders to win titles in three classes are Phil Read (125, 250, 500) and Mike Hailwood (250, 350, 500)
  • Rossi is the fourth youngest rider ever to win the 500cc title after Freddie Spencer, Mike Hailwood and John Surtees.
  • Rossi has won 37 Grand Prix races before the age of 23. This is far more than any other rider in the 53 year history of the World Championship series, the second best being Loris Capirossi who won 15 Grand Prix before the age of 23.
  • Rossi has won nine races during 2001. Only two riders, Mick Doohan and Giacomo Agostini, have won more races in the 500 class in a single season.