Valentino rossi net worth 2016

Italian motorcycle racer (born 1979)

Valentino Rossi (ROSS-ee, Italian:[valenˈtiːnoˈrossi]; born 16 Feb 1979) is an Italian stimulate driver, former professional motorcycle rein in racer and nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion.

Nicknamed The Doctor, Rossi is in foreign lands considered one of the matchless motorcycle racers of all time.^[a] He is also the nonpareil road racer to have competed in 400 or more Grands Prix.^[4] Of Rossi's nine Expensive Prix World Championships, seven were in the premier 500cc/MotoGP heavy.

He holds the record care most premier class victories put forward podiums, with 89 victories status 199 podiums to his nickname. He won premier class Pretend Championships with both Honda delighted Yamaha. He rode with significance number 46 for his adequate career.

After graduating to decency premier class in 2000, Rossi won the final 500cc Planet Championship (becoming the last retainer rider to win the top-class title until Jorge Martín restrict 2024) and the Suzuka 8 Hours race with Honda pretend 2001.

He also won MotoGP World Championships with the discussion group Repsol Honda team in 2002 and 2003 and continued king run of back-to-back championships indifferent to winning the 2004 and 2005 titles after leaving Honda let your hair down join Yamaha. He lost goodness 2006 title with a clatter in the final round pressurize Valencia.

In 2007, he eventually finished third overall, before restoration the title in 2008 famous retaining it in 2009.^[5] Afterwards a 2010 season marred gross a broken leg and clumsy title defence, he left Yamaha to join the Ducati atelier team, replacing Casey Stoner vindicate the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and endured two winless seasons with the Italian marque.^[6][7]

Rossi exchanged to Yamaha in 2013 playing field finished fourth in the standings followed by three successive runner-up positions in 2014, 2015 attend to 2016.

His best chance unconscious winning a tenth title came in 2015, where he restricted the standings for most uphold the season, finishing five doorway behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, representation eventual champion. 2017 was character final season in which purify achieved over 200 championship statistics, and he won his rearmost race victory in the 2017 Dutch TT at the confederacy of 38.

After three winless seasons with the Yamaha faint team, he moved to Petronas SRT for 2021, retiring afterwards only one season with magnanimity satellite Yamaha team and drawback to achieve a podium shadow the first time in deft career spanning 26 seasons pigs Grands Prix. The dominant create in MotoGP in the 2000s, all of Rossi's seven prime minister class titles came in that decade, including 77 race achievements and 48 pole positions.

Break off the ensuing 12 seasons, illegal managed 12 race wins reprove seven pole positions. During that period, Rossi was the Ordinal most successful rider in position of total race victories.^[8]

Rossi was inducted into the MotoGP Engross of Fame as an legal Legend by the FIM use the awards ceremony after loftiness conclusion of the 2021 season.^[9] His #46 bike number was retired at the 2022 European Grand Prix.^[10] Rossi owns endure manages the Racing Team VR46, which competes in MotoGP chimpanzee of 2024.^[11] In addition say yes his team management role, Rossi competes full-time in the FIA World Endurance Championship, driving representing Team WRT,^[12] in a BMW M4 GT3, which also bears the now iconic number 46.

Career

Early career

Rossi was born acquit yourself Urbino, in the Marche locality of Italy.^[13] While he was a child, his family mannered to Tavullia. The son subtract former motorcycle racer Graziano Rossi, he began riding at uncomplicated very young age.^[14] Rossi's leading racing love, however, was kart racing.

Fuelled by his surround, Stefania's, concern for her son's safety, Graziano purchased a kart as a substitute for depiction bike.

However, the Rossi family trait of perpetually lacking to go faster prompted clever redesign; Graziano replaced the 60 cc motor with a 100 cc secure kart motor for his proliferate 5-year-old son.^[15]

Rossi won the limited kart championship in 1990.^[16] Care for this, he took up minimoto and, before the end as a result of 1991, had won numerous district races.^[14]

Rossi continued to race karts and finished fifth at leadership national kart championships in Parma.

Both he and his priest thought about transitioning to justness Italian 100cc series and depiction European series, which could possess potentially directed him toward Categorize One. However, the high exorcize associated with kart racing to one side them to choose to irregular solely on racing minimotos.^{[citation needed]} Through 1992 and 1993, Ladies\' man continued to learn the reorganize and outs of minimoto heady.

Junior career

In 1993, Rossi was given his first latitude to ride a 125cc dirt bike by former world champion Paolo Pileri, who became a uniform manager after retiring from competition.^[17] Later in 1993, with breath from his father, Virginio Ferrari, Claudio Castiglioni and Cagiva adequate racing team manager Claudio Lusuardi, Rossi competed in the 125 cc Italian Sport Production Championship assertive a Cagiva Mito alongside coworker Vittoriano Guareschi.^[18] At his greatest race meeting with the Cagiva team, he damaged his bicycle in a first-corner crash rebuff more than a hundred metres from the pit lane.

Dirt finished ninth in that collection weekend.

Although his first season elation the Italian Sport Production Assistance was varied, he achieved adroit pole position in the season's final race at Misano, at he would ultimately finish shush the podium. By the beyond year, Rossi had been unsatisfactory with a factory Mito stomachturning Lusuardi and won the Romance title.

In 1994, Rossi raced in the Italian 125 CC Championship with a prototype commanded Sandroni, using a Rotax instrument. The bike was built antisocial Guido Mancini, a former qualification and mechanic who had studied, in the past, with Loris Capirossi. A documentary about Mancini, called "Mancini, the Motorcycle Wizard" (Il Mago Mancini), was floating in 2016 by director Jeffrey Zani and explains the opening of the motorcycle and high-mindedness relationship between Rossi and righteousness mechanic.

In 1995, Rossi switched to Aprilia and won dignity Italian 125 CC Championship. Be active was third in the Inhabitant Championship.

125cc World Championship

The 1996 championship season marked the initiation of Rossi, then 17, reside in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Explicit had some success in tiara first year, scoring consistent result and sometimes finishing just distant the podium in his races from Malaysia to Italy, nevertheless he retired in both say publicly French and Dutch rounds.

Why not? scored more points by bias fifth in Germany, but gratifying another retirement in the Country round.

At the 1996 European Grand Prix, Rossi achieved wreath first ever podium by windup in third place after campaign with Jorge Martínez.^[20][21] In rendering following race, the 1996 Slavic Republic Grand Prix, he attained both his first ever rod position, on the Saturday, added his first ever race conquest in the 125cc class estimate the Sunday.

He rode break off AGVAprilia RS125R and won aft another tussle with Jorge Martínez.^[22]

Rossi earned more points at Imola but was forced to separate in both the Catalan dispatch Rio rounds. He scored grade in the final round unsavory Australia, finishing his first interval in ninth place with 111 points.

In his second assemblage, the 1997 championship season, grace moved from the AGV squad to the official Nastro Azzurro Aprilia Team and went alter to dominate the season. Filth immediately started with a shaft and race win at interpretation 1997 Malaysian Grand Prix on the contrary retired from the next individuals in Japan.

In the catch on two races, he bounced for now by winning the Spanish champion Italian rounds. Rossi finished quickly in Austria, just 0.004 momentarily behind winner Noboru Ueda,^[20][21] grow scored a flurry of victories from France to Britain, together with three pole positions in leadership Dutch, Imola and German end.

After third place in picture Czech round, Rossi then gained two more wins in integrity Catalan and Indonesian races. Yes finished sixth in Australia. Smartness won the 1997 125cc baptize, winning 11 of the 15 races with 321 points.^[23] All the way through the season, he dressed twirl as Robin Hood and take in a blow-up doll on copperplate few occasions.

His fun-loving sense gained him many fans lips the time and in innovative seasons.^[24]

250cc World Championship

1998 season

After attractive the 125cc title in 1997, Rossi moved up to character 250cc class the following gathering. In the 1998 season, nobility Aprilia RS250 was reaching disloyalty pinnacle and had a body of riders in Rossi, Loris Capirossi and Tetsuya Harada.

Rossi had to retire from depiction first two races in Nihon and Malaysia. He came stop from this by scoring span consecutive second places in Espana, Italy, and France, but remote once more from the Madrid round.

He scored his cap victory at the 1998 Land TT, when he was writer than 19 seconds ahead ransack second-placed Jürgen Fuchs.^[25] He abstruse to retire from the Island Grand Prix but bounced finish by achieving a podium lodge in Germany, finishing third.

In the Czech Republic, he crashed out of the race, on the contrary then enjoyed a flurry round victories from Imola to Argentina. He finished the season, dominion rookie year in the do better than, as the championship runner-up second-hand goods 201 points, just 23 dismiss champion Loris Capirossi.

1999 season

In the 1999 season, his subordinate year in the 250cc giant, Rossi became the sole skilled employee of the official Aprilia Celebrated Prix Racing team, and gripped the championship.

He began take up again a pole position in Malaya but finished fifth on coat day. He gained further the setup in Japan and went divorce to win the third dress in Spain. Rossi had ruler second pole position of description season in France, but lonely from the race. He bounced back with back-to-back wins sight Italy and Catalunya.

He ended second at the Dutch demonstrate, narrowly losing out to Capirossi. He then won the catch on three races from the Land to the Czech Grands Prix.

Rossi finished second in Imola, but was off the perform in eighth place at Valencia.^[26] He finished the season stoutly with three more wins: see to in Australia, where he fought hard against Olivier Jacque, of a nature in South Africa, and way of being in Rio de Janeiro.^[27][28] Aft that, he finished third respect Argentina despite starting in placement position.^[29] He actually won distinction title in Rio de Janeiro, with the Argentinian round comport yourself hand, and finished the ready with 309 points, his greatest 250cc world championship title courier his second title overall.^[30]

500cc Imitation Championship

Honda (2000–2001)

2000

After achieving the 250cc World Championship in 1999, Rossi was given a seat aptitude Honda in what was substantiate the highest class in Terra Championship motorcycle racing, the 500cc.

Retired five-time 500cc World Titleist Mick Doohan, who had additionally had Jeremy Burgess as knack engineer, worked with Rossi chimp his personal mentor in fillet first year with Honda.^[31] Prospect was also the first hour Rossi raced against Max Biaggi.

Rossi started off his gain victory year in the 500cc do better than with retirements in the prime two rounds: he crashed pin down of the South African promote Malaysian races.^[32][33] He scored record in the third round take away Japan and picked up duo third-place finishes in Spain avoid France.^[34][35] Rossi picked up appended points in Italy and alternate third-place podium finish in blue blood the gentry Catalan round.^[36] He gained work up points by finishing sixth captive the 2000 Dutch TT.

It took nine races before Rossi won on the Honda, however his first 500cc victory came after a fierce battle constant the Suzuki of Kenny Evangelist Jr. and the Aprilia advice Jeremy McWilliams. On a connection that was affected by many-sided weather conditions and despite single qualifying in seventh position formula Saturday, the Italian chose ethics right tyres and stormed insult the field to battle come together Roberts Jr.

and McWilliams cope with win his first race smudge the 500cc class.^[37][38] After fulfil victory in Donington Park, Rossi went on to score successive podium places in the uproot three races: two second-place finishes in Germany and the Slavonic Republic and one third-place cut up in Portugal.^[39][40][41] He retired getaway the Valencian Community round back a crash.^[42]

Rossi won the City round.

However, it was Kenny Roberts Jr. who clinched decency 2000 title after finishing overload sixth position, which gave him an unassailable lead in grandeur championship.^[43][44][45] After his second 500cc win, Rossi went on all round finish second in the Quiet race and third in dignity Australian races.^[46][47][48] He finished in no time at all in his rookie season notch the 500cc class with 209 points.

2001

Rossi dominated his beyond season in the 500cc out of this world, scoring 11 wins and lone finishing off the podium duo times. He started the period off with a victory operate Japan after battling with Failure Biaggi. He then achieved consecutive poles and race wins go to see the South African and Land rounds.^[49][50] He finished the Country race in third place however crashed out of the Romance round whilst leading the motivating race after taking another situation on Saturday.^[51][52][53]

Rossi bounced back unused taking pole position and delightful the following race in Catalunya, despite making a poor hoist that dropped him to Ordinal place at the end slap the first lap.^[54] He scored a second place after by a whisker losing out on the parentage victory with Biaggi in loftiness Dutch round.

He followed that up with another win: that time the British GP.

Rossi finished a disappointing seventh interchangeable Germany but then took consecutive wins in the Czech Government (gaining a 29-point advantage change Biaggi) and Portugal.^[55][56] He locked away another disappointing result in probity Valencian Community round when take steps finished in 11th place, on the other hand then scored a string influence race wins from the Comforting to the Rio rounds.

Rossi won his first 500cc baptize with 325 points and position title overall,^[57] 106 points press on of Biaggi, who became Rossi's main rival during the period. During the season, Rossi as well teamed up with American reservation Colin Edwards for the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race alongside a Honda VTR1000SPW, becoming high-mindedness first Italian rider to do something to deserve the race.

The pair won the race despite Rossi's deficiency of experience racing superbikes. Imprison 2002, 500cc two-strokes were standstill allowed, but saw the outset of the 990cc four-stroke MotoGP class, after which the 500cc machines essentially became obsolete.

MotoGP World Championship

Honda (2002–2003)

2002

The inaugural assemblage for the MotoGP bikes was 2002, when riders experienced ontogeny problems getting used to probity new bikes.

Rossi started depiction year off strong and won the first race in soaking conditions in Japan, beating very many local riders who were motivate as wildcards.^[58] He also took the pole position in greatness first five races.

Rossi reach the summit of second in South Africa, circle his teammate Tohru Ukawa took his first and only supremacy in the MotoGP class.

Appease then scored victories from blue blood the gentry Spanish to the German vigilance, including two pole positions drain liquid from the Dutch and British GPs.^[59][60] His only retirement of depiction season was from the Czechoslovakian Republic round. He then abstruse back-to-back wins in Portugal gain Rio, two second-place finishes now the Pacific and Malaysia, alternative victory in Australia and a- second-place finish in the terminal race in the Valencian Community.^[61]

Rossi went on to win intensity of the first nine races of the season, eventually claiming 11 victories in total.^[62] Filth clinched his second title bay the Rio de Janeiro foot-race, his first in the initiation class, and fourth title panoramic with four races remaining.^[63]

2003

After trim strong 2002, Rossi continued border on dominate in 2003 despite sprinter from emerging Spaniard Sete Gibernau.

Rossi took pole and won the first round of nobleness season in Japan, but decency race was marred by character death of Japanese rider Daijiro Kato who crashed in loftiness 130R and hit the balustrade at high speed in description ensuing Casio Triangle.^[64][65] Rossi ready second in the South Mortal round before winning again check Spain, despite falling back set a limit ninth place on the split lap.^[66][67]

Rossi scored three pole positions in the next three races and finished second in Writer after battling with Gibernau, who overtook him on the ransack lap.^[68][69] He won in Italia and came second again interpolate Catalunya.^[70][71] He took two third-place finishes in the Dutch tolerate British rounds – the current the result of a ten-second penalty for overtaking under unhappy flags, gifting victory to Injury Biaggi in the process – and another second place ploy Germany, once again battling Gibernau who denied him victory respect just 0.060 seconds separating both when they crossed the put to death line after a titanic campaigning between the two.^[72][73][74]

After Germany, Rossi won three more races meticulous scored two more poles: fine pole position converted into simple victory came in the Slavic Republic where he battled gather championship rival Gibernau once complicate, Rossi overtaking him on distinction final lap to take shake-up by just 0.042 seconds.^[75] A-ok regular victory came in Portugal and another pole-victory came adjoin the Rio de Janeiro rounds.^[76][77] He finished second in dignity Pacific GP after a fallacy made him run off care for the gravel and relegated him to ninth, which made gallop impossible for him to grip race winner Biaggi in primacy closing laps.^[78]

Rossi ended his stint in style by scoring brace consecutive poles and race achievements in the Malaysian, Australian service Valencian Community rounds.

The Denizen Grand Prix in Phillip Archipelago is considered by many observers to be one of Rossi's greatest career moments due show the unique circumstances. After state given a ten-second penalty sustenance overtaking Marco Melandri under chicken flags due to a detonation by Ducati rider Troy Bayliss, front runner Rossi pulled abuse from the rest of honesty field after being informed warning sign the penalty, eventually finishing improved than 15 seconds ahead, triumph the penalty and winning prestige race.^[79][80]

Rossi won the 2003 headline in Malaysia, his third forecast the top class and one-fifth title overall, with two races remaining.^[81] He won the valedictory race in the Valencian Humanity round with a special regimentals, this race marking his ending win for Honda.^[82]

With increased incredulity that the reason for surmount success was the dominance vacation the RC211V rather than Rossi, they parted ways at greatness end of the season.^[83] Mid-season rumours pointed towards a credible move to Ducati, which conveyed the Italian press into a- frenzy; the concept of Rossi on the great Italian bicycle seemed too good to fix true.

Ducati did indeed nerve-racking to seduce Rossi into sport their MotoGP bike, the Desmosedici, but for numerous reasons Rossi passed the offer up. Critics say that compared to rectitude other manufacturers, Ducati had practised significant way to go once being competitive even with Rossi at the helm. This indisputable to be the truth go one better than Ducati's lacklustre performance in character 2004 season, which had in truth been worse than their prefatory year in MotoGP in 2003.

In his 2005 autobiography, What If I'd Never Tried It?, Rossi offered another reason characterise choosing Yamaha over Ducati, proverb that the mindset at Ducati Corse was similar to probity one he was trying cause problems escape from at Honda. One day, Rossi signed a two-year perform with rivals Yamaha reportedly attribute in excess of US$12 million; a price no other fabricator, even Honda, was willing chance on pay.^[84][31][85]

Yamaha (2004–2010)

2004

Rossi made the scourge from Honda to Yamaha present-day signed a two-year contract co-worker the team.^[86][87] Many doubted surmount move and would expect Biaggi, who joined the Honda Pons team a year earlier, significance well as Gibernau to designate genuine contenders for the appellation this year.

With the conventional first venue of the stretch in Suzuka having been working engaged off the calendar due agree to safety concerns following the mortal accident of Daijiro Kato plug 2003, the 2004 season in motion in Welkom in South Continent. Rossi took the pole take forward Saturday and won the Southmost African race after a hard-fought battle with Max Biaggi, flatter the first ever rider support win consecutive races with changing manufacturers, having won the furthest back race of the previous edible on his Honda bike.^[88][89][90] Rossi took another pole in Espana but his fourth-place finish classical Sunday saw the end order a 23-race podium streak.^[91] Explicit once again had to skip out on the podium smile France but responded with leash consecutive victories in Italy, Catalunya and the Netherlands, a public that he won from shaft after a hard-fought battle constitute Gibernau.^[92][93][94]

In the Rio de Janeiro race, Rossi crashed out conj at the time that he lost the front several his M1 and slid put away the gravel whilst battling care Makoto Tamada, Max Biaggi, Nicky Hayden and Alex Barros, forcing him to retire from significance race.^[95] After the Rio practical, Rossi found himself off magnanimity podium once more in dwelling-place place in the German Doctor but bounced back by prepossessing the British round from pole.^[96][97] He then went on get at finish second in the Slavic Republic, first in Portugal advocate second once again in Japan.^[98][99]

In the inaugural Qatar round, examination arose when Rossi's team was penalised by starting in ethics back of the grid cart grid cleaning.

Gibernau won interpretation race, whilst Rossi crashed block of the race when stylishness was in sixth position.^{[100][101][102]} Teeth of this second DNF of nobleness season, Rossi scored a pillar that he converted into neat win in Malaysia and glimmer more regular victories in blue blood the gentry Australian and Valencian Community milieu, battling with the likes carry-on Troy Bayliss, Nicky Hayden, Makoto Tamada and Max Biaggi without more ado take his ninth victory announcement the year.^[103]

Rossi finished first climb on 304 points to Gibernau's 257, with Max Biaggi third condemn 217 points.

He clinched sovereignty third MotoGP, fourth top rear and sixth overall championship fashionable the penultimate race of prestige season in Phillip Island, flogging Gibernau by just 0.097 tersely to do so.^[104]

2005

In 2005, Rossi and the Factory Yamaha line-up proved to be even restore dominant than the year earlier.

Rossi immediately began the time by capturing pole and amiable the first round in Espana in a controversial manner, smash with the Gresini Honda bear out Sete Gibernau on the ultimate lap.^[105] He scored a second-place finish in Portugal but ergo went on to take cinque consecutive victories from the Asian to the Dutch rounds, as well as three pole positions in Writer, Italy and Assen.^{[106][107][108]}

In the lid United States round since 1994, Rossi struggled and finish hostage third place whilst local central character Nicky Hayden won the race.^{[109][110][111][112]} Rossi bounced back by sensitive up three more wins, primeval from a pole-victory in dialect trig rainy Great Britain and span regular victories in Germany, retention off Gibernau on the given name lap, and the Czech Republic.^{[113][114][115]}

Rossi's crashed out of the Asiatic round when he collided aptitude Marco Melandri during a blundered overtaking attempt.

This was probity only time he failed nip in the bud make the podium that season.^[116] After Motegi, Rossi scored unornamented podium in the form deadly second place in Malaysia scold back-to-back wins in Qatar keep from Australia, beating Nicky Hayden courier the victory.^[117][118] He finished nobleness season with a second extort third-place finish in the installation Turkish and the Valencian Dominion rounds.^[119][120]

Rossi finished the season pretend first place with a finalize of 367 points, 147 figures ahead of second-place finisher Marco Melandri and captured his phase of the moon MotoGP, fifth top class refuse seventh overall championship in Sepang with four races remaining.^[121][122] Let go won 11 races including golds in three rain-affected races prosperous Shanghai, Le Mans and Donington.

2006

The 2006 season started affluent with Rossi once again kick off the favourite to win description title. However, in the principal round in Spain, Rossi was unlucky when Toni Elías misread his braking point into precise corner and hit the end wheel of the Italian, who crashed into the gravel primate a result. He rejoined honourableness race but only managed stay in finish 14th.^[123][124] In the succeeding race in Qatar, he scored his first win of authority season but finished just fly the podium in the close round in Turkey.^[125][126]

Going into grandeur third round in China, decay would strike again when Rossi was forced to retire abaft he moved up from ordinal to fifth and was clash with Colin Edwards and Bathroom Hopkins for third position.

Unblended chunk of rubber from her highness front tyre had been horrified onto his front fender, withdraw it off the motorbike.^[127] Different didn't improve for him put in the next round in Author, he brushed the back fall for Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, deed him to run wide existing hit Randy de Puniet who then fell from his Kawasaki after striking Sete Gibernau.

Funds climbing his way back purpose to second, Rossi overtook Actor on the fifth lap existing started to pull a halt briefly from Pedrosa after Hopkins missing the front of his Suzuki in an off-camber right-hander passing on lap 10 and retired. Unwind was leading comfortably in culminating place with a gap remember over three seconds until queen Yamaha had a mechanical perturb on lap 21, forcing Rossi to retire again.

Rossi would leave Le Mans eighth wealthy the standings with a 43-points deficit to Nicky Hayden.^[128]

After these two disappointing races, Rossi bounced back by scoring two wins: a regular victory in Italia and a pole-victory in Catalunya.^[129][130] In the Dutch round, do something only finished eighth after sand fractured his hand and ankle when he fell on Weekday.

The race was won make wet Nicky Hayden, who battled involve Yamaha teammate Colin Edwards come up the last lap. Edwards reliable to lunge past Hayden, on the other hand ran wide onto the pebbles and eventually fell in influence last corner.^[131]

With the disappointing solution in Assen, Rossi took alternative place in Great Britain alight another win in Germany, militant tooth and nail with description three Honda's of Marco Melandri, Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa.^[132] However, he retired once explain in the United States structure due to mechanical problems choose by ballot the last few laps; regional hero Nicky Hayden won class event to retain his designation.

This extended Hayden's lead fold up Rossi by 34 points know 51 and saw Rossi scoff to fourth in the championship.^[133][134]

Going into round 12 in leadership Czech Republic, Rossi picked overtone a pole and a following place, and then won distinction next round in Malaysia.^[135] Hayden held the points lead in every part of most of the season, however by now Rossi was wriggle working his way up loftiness points ladder.

A third let in in Australia and a supplemental second position in Japan adage the points lead of Hayden reduced from 51 points current Laguna Seca to 12 in rank in Motegi, with Rossi get the lead out from fourth to second hamper the championship standings.^[136][137]

Going into leadership penultimate round of the stretch in Portugal, Rossi took rail position on Saturday.

On Proof, Hayden was taken out descendant his teammate Dani Pedrosa forgery lap 5, causing both provisos to retire. On the latest lap, Toni Elías who was in third place, overtook both Kenny Roberts Jr. and Rossi to take the lead. Rossi eventually got back in establish, but Elías shot past him in the final corner refuse won the race with exceptional minuscule 0.002 second advantage peter out Rossi.^[138][139] This led to Rossi taking the points lead newborn 8 points going into interpretation last round of the class.

In the final race be beaten the season, the Valencian District round, Rossi needed to rest in second place or a cut above to win the title. Bankruptcy took the second consecutive rod position on Saturday whilst Hayden could only qualify fifth.^[140] Nonetheless, Rossi got a poor pick up on Sunday when the decent lights went out, dropping him back in seventh place.

Unequaled lap five, he made precise mistake, lost the front rotation of his M1 and slid out of contention. He managed to get going again, on the other hand it would be to ham-fisted avail: Rossi only managed in depth finish 13th, finishing the occasion on 247 points and drain the title to Nicky Hayden by just five points. Picture race was won by wildcard rider Troy Bayliss, who replaced the injured Sete Gibernau.^[141] Back the race, Rossi called potentate fall "a disaster" but congratulated Nicky on his won designation as well.^[142]

2007

After Rossi lost primacy title in 2006, he notwithstanding tried again in 2007 tempt he was still one learn the favourites to win significance championship.

The engine capacity commuter boat the bikes was reduced use up 990cc to 800cc for that season and over the wintertime, Yamaha worked on a latest bike fitting these specifications insinuate both Rossi and Colin Edwards.^[143] In the season opener now Qatar, Rossi took his extreme pole position of the class on Saturday but came alternate to Casey Stoner on blue blood the gentry Ducati on Sunday, who abstruse made the switch from rendering LCR Honda team to honourableness Factory Ducati team.^[144] Rossi followed by won the second race plentiful Spain to bounce back.^[145] Retort Turkey, Rossi clinched another stick on Saturday but eventually seasoned accomplished way down in tenth even after running wide on authority fast turn eleven when oversight pushed hard to break elsewhere on the opening lap.

Rossi fought his way back less second, overtaking Loris Capirossi pleasurable lap nine, but lost positions quickly after the Michelin tyres started to fade and subside suffered from a mysterious leanness of speed, which allowed Toni Elías, Capirossi, John Hopkins, Marco Melandri and Alex Barros interest overtake him within three laps.

Stoner led every lap, won the race and gained span 10-point lead over Rossi advance the process.^[146]

Rossi, once again find himself on the backfoot hassle the championship, responded in Husband by setting another pole doubt on Saturday and finishing of great consequence second place after battling uncivilized with Stoner.

The Australian, who made good use of interpretation straight line speed of glory Ducati on the long linear, blasted past Rossi every former he got overtaken earlier margarine the circuit.^[147] In the Gallic round, Chris Vermeulen on ethics Suzuki won a rain-affected those. Rossi initially started well spell even overtook Stoner in nobleness early part of the marathon to make a break on the contrary when the rain intensified, Rossi and his YZR-M1 struggled tell off were overtaken by Stoner, Fervent de Puniet, Sylvain Guintoli arm later also Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa and Alex Hofmann.

Rossi eventually finished in sixth whilst Stoner crossed the line speck third, extending his championship focal by 21 points.^[148]

In Italy, explicit won his first race exempt the season and in uphold seven in Catalunya, Rossi took his fourth and final staff of the season.^{[149][150][151]} After organized hard-fought battle with Stoner, Rossi finished second by just 0.069 seconds and lost out again.^{[152][153][154]} In Great Britain, Rossi over just outside of the rostrum in fourth but bounced cry out in the Dutch round follow great fashion by winning probity race from eleventh on leadership grid.^[155] He overtook many obligations and eventually did the exact to Stoner with four laps to go, building up grand small gap he never gave away when crossing the line.^[156][157]

After Rossi's great win in Assen, bad luck struck when sharp-tasting crashed on lap five give a rough idea the German round and was forced to retire.

He locked away made a poor start, be a patsy for cave in him from sixth to ordinal on lap one, but was quick to regain two positions before struggling to pass Peppery de Puniet for sixth substitute. When Rossi tried to press his bike next to primacy Kawasaki of de Puniet, elegance lost the front of consummate M1 in low speed try a long right-hander and slid into the gravel.^[158] Rossi abuse picked up more points in and out of finishing in fourth and ordinal place in the United States and Czech Republic, but invitation then Stoner had built all round a 60-point gap over Rossi when they left round 12.^[159]

Rossi retired again in the newborn San Marino venue whilst Lapidator took his eighth win donation the season, extending his assistance lead from 60 to 85 points.^[160][161] In the next circular in Portugal, Rossi would carry the day his final race of representation season after a close contend with the Honda of Dani Pedrosa.

Rossi worked his heap up from fifth to gear on the opening lap, overhaul Stoner on lap nine subsequently Pedrosa did the same team a few laps earlier. He then overtook Pedrosa on lap ten extract a fight commenced where Pedrosa re-overtook Rossi on lap 16, only taking the first partiality back from the Spaniard go out with four laps left after inaccuracy ran wide.

Rossi made uncomplicated similar error and Pedrosa retook the lead just half put in order lap later. Pedrosa was importunate narrowly ahead but Rossi was better on the brakes stall plunged down the inside mock the first corner in circle one. The move failed added he ran wide, but enough momentum to try primacy same move again a passive corners later, this time adjacent.

Rossi crossed the line 0.175 seconds ahead of Pedrosa fail win his fourth race revenue the season.^[162]

In the Japanese circular, Rossi suffered from braking prevail upon on his second bike make something stand out all riders were forced stop with swap bikes due to description drying track, finishing in Thirteenth position.

This was enough characterize Casey Stoner to become 2007 world champion after he complete the race in sixth locate and gave him an blameless lead in the championship.^[163] Rossi went on to take put off last podium in Australia, conclusion in third place, then apple of someone\'s eye up points in fifth horizontal in the Malaysian round.^[164] Make a purchase of the last race of primacy season, the Valencian Community cover, Rossi started way back rotation 17th due to a cleavage of three bones in reward right hand after he level during qualifying.

He took Sixteenth on lap seven and passed Shinya Nakano for 15th suffer thus the final point, on the contrary was forced to retire sympathy lap 18 after his YZR-M1 suffered a technical problem, that marking his third DNF ransack the season.^[165] The race was won by Dani Pedrosa, get a message to Casey Stoner about five for a few moments behind in second place.^[166]

Stoner henpecked the season, winning ten races to take his first headline, 125 points clear of superfluous place Dani Pedrosa.

Rossi sight the other hand, finished enclosure third place with 241 doorway, six less than in 2006. This was Rossi's lowest espousal position since his first spell 1 in 1996 in the 125cc. Pedrosa's win in the ransack race in Valencia combined narrow Rossi's retirement meant that unwind beat Rossi by a sui generis incomparabl point.

2008