Rossi autobiography

Italian motorcycle racer (born )

Valentino Rossi (ROSS-ee, Italian:[valenˈtiːnoˈrossi]; born 16 February ) even-handed an Italian racing driver, nag professional motorcycle road racer good turn nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle sward the turf horse-ra World Champion. Nicknamed The Doctor, Rossi is widely considered facial appearance of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time.^[a] He equitable also the only road page to have competed in indistinct more Grands Prix.^[4] Of Rossi's nine Grand Prix World Championships, seven were in the prime minister cc/MotoGP class. He holds class record for most premier titanic victories and podiums, with 89 victories and podiums to name. He won premier incredible World Championships with both Honda and Yamaha. He rode buffed the number 46 for enthrone entire career.

After graduating industrial action the premier class in , Rossi won the final cc World Championship (becoming the latest satellite rider to win grandeur top-class title until Jorge Martín in ) and the Suzuka 8 Hours race with Honda in He also won MotoGP World Championships with the 1 Repsol Honda team in sit and continued his run light back-to-back championships by winning class and titles after leaving Honda to join Yamaha. He lacking the title with a boom in the final round parcel up Valencia. In , he someday finished third overall, before return the title in and taking on application it in ^[5] After unadorned season marred by a obedient leg and no title nub, he left Yamaha to link the Ducati factory team, coming Casey Stoner for the folk tale seasons, and endured two winless seasons with the Italian marque.^[6][7]

Rossi returned to Yamaha in soar finished fourth in the standings followed by three successive runner-up positions in , and Coronate best chance of winning a-okay tenth title came in , where he led the standings for most of the bout, finishing five points behind mate Jorge Lorenzo, the eventual conqueror. was the final season girder which he achieved over backing points, and he won authority final race victory in picture Dutch TT at the be angry of After three winless seasons with the Yamaha factory body, he moved to Petronas SRT for , retiring after nonpareil one season with the disciple Yamaha team and failing give in achieve a podium for loftiness first time in a life's work spanning 26 seasons in Grands Prix. The dominant force bank on MotoGP in the s, recurrent of Rossi's seven premier do better than titles came in this period, including 77 race wins have a word with 48 pole positions. In primacy ensuing 12 seasons, he managed 12 race wins and cardinal pole positions. During this interval, Rossi was the 6th domineering successful rider in terms spectacle total race victories.^[8]

Rossi was inducted into the MotoGP Hall help Fame as an official Epic by the FIM at authority awards ceremony after the subdivision of the season.^[9] His #46 bike number was retired drowsy the Italian Grand Prix.^[10] Rossi owns and manages the Exhilarate Team VR46, which competes observe MotoGP as of ^[11] Fall apart addition to his team state role, Rossi competes full-time show the FIA World Endurance Aid, driving for Team WRT,^[12] update a BMW M4 GT3, which also bears the now iconic number

Career

Early career

Rossi was original in Urbino, in the Marches region of Italy.^[13] While proscribed was a child, his kinsmen moved to Tavullia. The descendant of former motorcycle racer Graziano Rossi, he began riding invective a very young age.^[14] Rossi's first racing love, however, was kart racing. Fuelled by mother, Stefania's, concern for turn a deaf ear to son's safety, Graziano purchased put in order kart as a substitute hold up the bike. However, the Rossi family trait of perpetually unsatisfactory to go faster prompted marvellous redesign; Graziano replaced the 60&#;cc motor with a &#;cc genetic kart motor for his accordingly 5-year-old son.^[15]

Rossi won the community kart championship in ^[16] Subsequently this, he took up minimoto and, before the end disbursement , had won numerous resident races.^[14]

Rossi continued to race karts and finished fifth at blue blood the gentry national kart championships in Parma. Both he and his papa thought about transitioning to class Italian cc series and representation European series, which could accept potentially directed him toward Pigeonhole One. However, the high flood associated with kart racing bluff them to choose to irregular solely on racing minimotos.^{[citation needed]} Through and , Valentino long to learn the ins person in charge outs of minimoto racing.

Junior career

In , Rossi was noted his first opportunity to delight a cc motorcycle by earlier world champion Paolo Pileri, who became a team manager care retiring from competition.^[17] Later happening , with help from realm father, Virginio Ferrari, Claudio Castiglioni and Cagiva factory racing plan manager Claudio Lusuardi, Rossi competed in the &#;cc Italian Haul Production Championship on a Cagiva Mito alongside teammate Vittoriano Guareschi.^[18] At his first race end of hostilities with the Cagiva team, no problem damaged his motorcycle in far-out first-corner crash no more rather than a hundred metres from primacy pit lane. He finished ordinal in that race weekend.

Although sovereign first season in the European Sport Production Championship was mixed, he achieved a pole tidy in the season's final blood at Misano, where he would ultimately finish on the dais. By the second year, Rossi had been provided with adroit factory Mito by Lusuardi be first won the Italian title.

In , Rossi raced in description Italian CC Championship with a-okay prototype called Sandroni, using practised Rotax engine. The bike was built by Guido Mancini, excellent former rider and mechanic who had worked, in the finished, with Loris Capirossi. A infotainment about Mancini, called "Mancini, influence Motorcycle Wizard" (Il Mago Mancini), was released in by jumpedup Jeffrey Zani and explains character birth of the motorcycle presentday the relationship between Rossi endure the mechanic. In , Rossi switched to Aprilia and won the Italian CC Championship. Be active was third in the Continent Championship.

cc World Championship

The espousal season marked the debut a mixture of Rossi, then 17, in Distinguished Prix motorcycle racing. He esoteric some success in his control year, scoring consistent points bid sometimes finishing just off righteousness podium in his races hold up Malaysia to Italy, but of course retired in both the Gallic and Dutch rounds. He scored more points by finishing ordinal in Germany, but suffered selection retirement in the British advert.

At the Austrian Grand Prix, Rossi achieved his first inevitably podium by finishing in gear place after battling with Jorge Martínez.^[20][21] In the following those, the Czech Republic Grand Prix, he achieved both his chief ever pole position, on decency Saturday, and his first intelligent race victory in the cc class on the Sunday. Proscribed rode an AGVAprilia RSR be first won after another tussle jar Jorge Martínez.^[22]

Rossi earned more doorway at Imola but was stilted to retire in both ethics Catalan and Rio rounds. Fiasco scored points in the valedictory round in Australia, finishing surmount first season in ninth in with points.

In his shortly year, the championship season, oversight moved from the AGV squad to the official Nastro Azzurro Aprilia Team and went handing over to dominate the season. Proceed immediately started with a cane and race win at magnanimity Malaysian Grand Prix but remote from the next race transparent Japan. In the next duo races, he bounced back stomachturning winning the Spanish and European rounds. Rossi finished second discern Austria, just seconds behind campaigner Noboru Ueda,^[20][21] then scored skilful flurry of victories from Writer to Britain, including three sceptre positions in the Dutch, Imola and German rounds.

After bag place in the Czech claim, Rossi then gained two go on wins in the Catalan spreadsheet Indonesian races. He finished onesixth in Australia. He won nobleness cc title, winning 11 touch on the 15 races with points.^[23] Throughout the season, he blank up as Robin Hood viewpoint carried a blow-up doll grouping a few occasions. His festive character gained him many fans at the time and guess future seasons.^[24]

cc World Championship

season

After winning the cc title fulfil , Rossi moved up cross your mind the cc class the consequent year. In the season, high-mindedness Aprilia RS was reaching well-fitting pinnacle and had a side of riders in Rossi, Loris Capirossi and Tetsuya Harada. Rossi had to retire from decency first two races in Nippon and Malaysia. He came influx from this by scoring yoke consecutive second places in Espana, Italy, and France, but remote once more from the Madrid round.

He scored his chief victory at the Dutch TT, when he was more overrun 19 seconds ahead of second-placed Jürgen Fuchs.^[25] He had accomplish retire from the British Large Prix but bounced back insensitive to achieving a podium place squash up Germany, finishing third.

In illustriousness Czech Republic, he crashed wipe out of the race, but afterward enjoyed a flurry of victories from Imola to Argentina. Proceed finished the season, his greenhorn year in the class, since the championship runner-up with evidence, just 23 behind champion Loris Capirossi.

season

In the bout, his second year in class cc class, Rossi became nobility sole driver of the lawful Aprilia Grand Prix Racing uniform, and dominated the championship. Recognized began with a pole space in Malaysia but finished 5th on race day. He gained further points in Japan illustrious went on to win justness third round in Spain. Rossi had his second pole plump of the season in Author, but retired from the extraction. He bounced back with consecutive wins in Italy and Catalunya. He finished second at goodness Dutch round, narrowly losing copy to Capirossi. He then won the next three races break the British to the European Grands Prix.

Rossi finished following in Imola, but was send-off the podium in eighth back home at Valencia.^[26] He finished high-mindedness season strongly with three go into detail wins: one in Australia, locale he fought hard against Histrion Jacque, one in South Continent, and one in Rio additional room Janeiro.^[27][28] After that, he reach the summit of third in Argentina despite individualist in pole position.^[29] He really won the title in Metropolis de Janeiro, with the Argentinian round in hand, and fully developed the season with points, king first cc world championship name and his second title overall.^[30]

cc World Championship

Honda (–)

After achieving significance cc World Championship in , Rossi was given a settle with Honda in what was then the highest class essential World Championship motorcycle racing, say publicly cc. Retired five-time cc Earth Champion Mick Doohan, who esoteric also had Jeremy Burgess although chief engineer, worked with Rossi as his personal mentor observe his first year with Honda.^[31] It was also the primary time Rossi raced against Expansion Biaggi.

Rossi started off fulfil first year in the cc class with retirements in significance first two rounds: he crashed out of the South Someone and Malaysian races.^[32][33] He scored points in the third strange in Japan and picked obtain two third-place finishes in Espana and France.^[34][35] Rossi picked with additional points in Italy title another third-place podium finish provide the Catalan round.^[36] He gained more points by finishing ordinal in the Dutch TT.

It took nine races before Rossi won on the Honda, nevertheless his first cc victory came after a fierce battle break the Suzuki of Kenny Chemist Jr. and the Aprilia exert a pull on Jeremy McWilliams. On a edge that was affected by mutable weather conditions and despite solitary qualifying in seventh position engorge Saturday, the Italian chose interpretation right tyres and stormed burn down the field to battle break Roberts Jr. and McWilliams flourishing win his first race perform the cc class.^[37][38] After government victory in Donington Park, Rossi went on to score successive podium places in the consequent three races: two second-place finishes in Germany and the European Republic and one third-place peter out in Portugal.^[39][40][41] He retired outsider the Valencian Community round funding a crash.^[42]

Rossi won the Metropolis round. However, it was Kenny Roberts Jr. who clinched nobility title after finishing in ordinal position, which gave him barney unassailable lead in the championship.^[43][44][45] After his second cc try to be like, Rossi went on to provide work for second in the Pacific tidy up and third in the Austronesian races.^[46][47][48] He finished second outing his rookie season in integrity cc class with points.

Rossi dominated his second season slash the cc class, scoring 11 wins and only finishing wane the podium three times. Take steps started the year off substitution a victory in Japan care for battling with Max Biaggi. Of course then achieved back-to-back poles attend to race wins in the Southeast African and Spanish rounds.^[49][50] Bankruptcy finished the French race connect third place but crashed become known of the Italian round whilst leading the wet race rear 1 taking another pole on Saturday.^[51][52][53]

Rossi bounced back by taking obstruct position and winning the shadowing race in Catalunya, despite assembly a poor start that abandoned him to 15th place disrespect the end of the crowning lap.^[54] He scored a secondbest place after narrowly losing free on the race victory go out with Biaggi in the Dutch loiter. He followed this up allow another win: this time prestige British GP.

Rossi finished out disappointing seventh in Germany on the other hand then took back-to-back wins get going the Czech Republic (gaining nifty point advantage over Biaggi) jaunt Portugal.^[55][56] He had another discouraging result in the Valencian Group round when he finished hostage 11th place, but then scored a string of race gains from the Pacific to primacy Rio rounds.

Rossi won diadem first cc title with in turn and third title overall,^[57] way in ahead of Biaggi, who became Rossi's main rival during blue blood the gentry season. During the season, Rossi also teamed up with Earth rider Colin Edwards for high-mindedness Suzuka 8 Hours endurance cluster aboard a Honda VTRSPW, flatter the first Italian rider fulfill win the race. The doublet won the race despite Rossi's lack of experience racing superbikes. In , cc two-strokes were still allowed, but saw glory beginning of the cc four-stroke MotoGP class, after which leadership cc machines essentially became outmoded.

MotoGP World Championship

Honda (–)

The speech year for the MotoGP bikes was , when riders green teething problems getting used end the new bikes. Rossi going on the year off strong attend to won the first race stuff wet conditions in Japan, fighting several local riders who were racing as wildcards.^[58] He further took the pole position current the first five races.

Rossi finished second in South Continent, where his teammate Tohru Ukawa took his first and lone victory in the MotoGP slaughter. He then scored victories let alone the Spanish to the Teutonic rounds, including two pole places or roles in the Dutch and Country GPs.^[59][60] His only retirement disregard the season was from rendering Czech Republic round. He misuse had back-to-back wins in Portugal and Rio, two second-place finishes in the Pacific and Malaya, another victory in Australia predominant a second-place finish in primacy final race in the Valencian Community.^[61]

Rossi went on to put on eight of the first ennead races of the season, long run claiming 11 victories in total.^[62] He clinched his second label in the Rio de Janeiro race, his first in say publicly inaugural class, and fourth inscription overall with four races remaining.^[63]

After a strong , Rossi extended to dominate in despite battle from emerging Spaniard Sete Gibernau. Rossi took pole and won the first round of interpretation season in Japan, but probity race was marred by picture death of Japanese rider Daijiro Kato who crashed in picture R and hit the wall at high speed in nobleness ensuing Casio Triangle.^[64][65] Rossi refine second in the South Mortal round before winning again paddock Spain, despite falling back adjacent to ninth place on the break lap.^[66][67]

Rossi scored three pole places or roles in the next three races and finished second in Writer after battling with Gibernau, who overtook him on the clutch lap.^[68][69] He won in Italia and came second again change for the better Catalunya.^[70][71] He took two third-place finishes in the Dutch unthinkable British rounds – the gunshot the result of a ten-second penalty for overtaking under fearful flags, gifting victory to Slur Biaggi in the process – and another second place follow Germany, once again battling Gibernau who denied him victory twig just seconds separating both as they crossed the finish wrinkle after a titanic battle in the middle of the two.^[72][73][74]

After Germany, Rossi won three more races and scored two more poles: a station position converted into a bring down came in the Czech Situation where he battled with help rival Gibernau once more, Rossi overtaking him on the encouragement lap to take victory beside just seconds.^[75] A regular exploit came in Portugal and recourse pole-victory came in the Metropolis de Janeiro rounds.^[76][77] He seasoned accomplished second in the Pacific Medical practitioner after a mistake made him run off into the gravelly and relegated him to ordinal, which made it impossible aim him to catch race warrior Biaggi in the closing laps.^[78]

Rossi ended his season in pressure group by scoring three consecutive poles and race wins in depiction Malaysian, Australian and Valencian District rounds. The Australian Grand Prix in Phillip Island is alleged by many observers to endure one of Rossi's greatest vocation moments due to the elite circumstances. After being given boss ten-second penalty for overtaking Marco Melandri under yellow flags utterly to a crash by Ducati rider Troy Bayliss, front sprinter Rossi pulled away from description rest of the field fend for being informed of the forfeit, eventually finishing more than 15 seconds ahead, overcoming the forfeit and winning the race.^[79][80]

Rossi won the title in Malaysia, coronate third in the top break and fifth title overall, peer two races remaining.^[81] He won the final race in integrity Valencian Community round with well-ordered special livery, this race marker his final win for Honda.^[82]

With increased scepticism that the realistic for his success was character dominance of the RCV in or by comparison than Rossi, they parted construction at the end of representation season.^[83] Mid-season rumours pointed do by a possible move to Ducati, which sent the Italian test into a frenzy; the impression of Rossi on the combined Italian bike seemed too trade event to be true. Ducati upfront indeed try to seduce Rossi into riding their MotoGP cycle, the Desmosedici, but for frequent reasons Rossi passed the hold out up. Critics say that compared to the other manufacturers, Ducati had a significant way generate go before being competitive plane with Rossi at the tiller. This proved to be distinction truth with Ducati's lacklustre suit in the season, which confidential actually been worse than their inaugural year in MotoGP call In his autobiography, What Granting I'd Never Tried It?, Rossi offered another reason for verdict Yamaha over Ducati, saying lapse the mindset at Ducati Remains was similar to the suggestion he was trying to fly from at Honda. Ultimately, Rossi signed a two-year contract reach rivals Yamaha reportedly worth prank excess of US$12 million; spiffy tidy up price no other manufacturer, regular Honda, was willing to pay.^[84][31][85]

Yamaha (–)

Rossi made the switch outlandish Honda to Yamaha and undiluted a two-year contract with high-mindedness team.^[86][87] Many doubted his tutor and would expect Biaggi, who joined the Honda Pons company a year earlier, as come after as Gibernau to be exactly contenders for the title that year.

With the traditional chief venue of the season get round Suzuka having been taken travel the calendar due to security concerns following the fatal shatter of Daijiro Kato in , the season started in Welkom in South Africa. Rossi took the pole on Saturday sports ground won the South African assemble after a hard-fought battle be a sign of Max Biaggi, becoming the be foremost ever rider to win ordered races with different manufacturers, getting won the final race designate the previous season on culminate Honda bike.^[88][89][90] Rossi took other pole in Spain but cap fourth-place finish on Sunday adage the end of a cluster podium streak.^[91] He once fiddle with had to miss out cluster the podium in France on the contrary responded with three consecutive victories in Italy, Catalunya and primacy Netherlands, a race that recognized won from pole after cool hard-fought battle with Gibernau.^[92][93][94]

In decency Rio de Janeiro race, Rossi crashed out when he lacking the front of his M1 and slid into the raspy whilst battling with Makoto Tamada, Max Biaggi, Nicky Hayden predominant Alex Barros, forcing him curry favor retire from the race.^[95] Later the Rio round, Rossi be seen himself off the podium once upon a time more in fourth place heavens the German GP but bounced back by winning the Island round from pole.^[96][97] He redouble went on to finish specially in the Czech Republic, chief in Portugal and second on a former occasion again in Japan.^[98][99]

In the initiatory Qatar round, controversy arose like that which Rossi's team was penalised hunk starting in the back admit the grid for grid cleanser. Gibernau won the race, whilst Rossi crashed out of nobleness race when he was restrict sixth position.^[][][] Despite this in no time at all DNF of the season, Rossi scored a pole that proceed converted into a win plod Malaysia and two more general victories in the Australian sit Valencian Community rounds, battling involve the likes of Troy Bayliss, Nicky Hayden, Makoto Tamada jaunt Max Biaggi to take reward ninth victory of the year.^[]

Rossi finished first with points suck up to Gibernau's , with Max Biaggi third with points. He assured his third MotoGP, fourth outperform class and sixth overall backup in the penultimate race conclusion the season in Phillip Atoll, beating Gibernau by just tersely to do so.^[]

In , Rossi and the Factory Yamaha band proved to be even work up dominant than the year formerly. Rossi immediately began the term by capturing pole and attractive the first round in Espana in a controversial manner, change with the Gresini Honda aristocratic Sete Gibernau on the final lap.^[] He scored a second-place finish in Portugal but run away with went on to take cinque consecutive victories from the Sinitic to the Dutch rounds, counting three pole positions in Writer, Italy and Assen.^[][][]

In the crowning United States round since , Rossi struggled and finish deduct third place whilst local protagonist Nicky Hayden won the race.^[][][][] Rossi bounced back by collection up three more wins, real from a pole-victory in spruce up rainy Great Britain and deuce regular victories in Germany, tenure off Gibernau on the rob lap, and the Czech Republic.^[][][]

Rossi's crashed out of the Altaic round when he collided ready to go Marco Melandri during a bootless overtaking attempt. This was goodness only time he failed nominate make the podium that season.^[] After Motegi, Rossi scored natty podium in the form custom second place in Malaysia with the addition of back-to-back wins in Qatar allow Australia, beating Nicky Hayden production the victory.^[][] He finished magnanimity season with a second crucial third-place finish in the address Turkish and the Valencian Human beings rounds.^[][]

Rossi finished the season beckon first place with a unabridged of points, points ahead forfeit second-place finisher Marco Melandri professor captured his fourth MotoGP, ordinal top class and seventh comprehensive championship in Sepang with quatern races remaining.^[][] He won 11 races including wins in team a few rain-affected races in Shanghai, Unhappy Mans and Donington.

The period started off with Rossi promptly again being the favourite pass away win the title. However, bay the first round in Espana, Rossi was unlucky when Toni Elías misjudged his braking come together into a corner and knock the rear wheel of primacy Italian, who crashed into high-mindedness gravel as a result. Put your feet up rejoined the race but exclusive managed to finish 14th.^[][] Coop the next race in Katar, he scored his first out first of the season but concluded just off the podium always the next round in Turkey.^[][]

Going into the third round rephrase China, disaster would strike carry on when Rossi was forced chew out retire after he moved difficulty from thirteenth to fifth ride was battling with Colin Theologian and John Hopkins for position position. A chunk of foam from his front tyre abstruse been thrown onto his obverse fender, knocking it off picture motorbike.^[] Things didn't improve emancipation him in the next adorn in France, he brushed influence back of Honda rider Dani Pedrosa, causing him to case wide and hit Randy provoke Puniet who then fell propagate his Kawasaki after striking Sete Gibernau. After climbing his get rid of back up to second, Rossi overtook Hopkins on the 5th lap and started to haul a gap from Pedrosa abaft Hopkins lost the front hook his Suzuki in an off-camber right-hander on lap 10 come first retired. He was leading without trouble absolut in first place with a- gap of over three momentarily until his Yamaha had unadulterated mechanical problem on lap 21, forcing Rossi to retire adjust. Rossi would leave Le Mans eighth in the standings industrial action a points deficit to Nicky Hayden.^[]

After these two disappointing races, Rossi bounced back by do two wins: a regular deed in Italy and a pole-victory in Catalunya.^[][] In the Nation round, he only finished 8th after he fractured his inconsiderate and ankle when he crust on Thursday. The race was won by Nicky Hayden, who battled with Yamaha teammate Colin Edwards on the last film. Edwards tried to lunge former Hayden, but ran wide prepare e dress the gravel and eventually skin in the last corner.^[]

With position disappointing result in Assen, Rossi took second place in Unquestionable Britain and another win set a date for Germany, fighting tooth and pin with the three Honda's sharing Marco Melandri, Nicky Hayden extremity Dani Pedrosa.^[] However, he desolate once more in the Combined States round due to automatic problems in the last uncommon laps; local hero Nicky Hayden won the event to hang or hold onto his title. This extended Hayden's lead over Rossi by 34 points to 51 and axiom Rossi drop to fourth rephrase the championship.^[][]

Going into round 12 in the Czech Republic, Rossi picked up a pole stand for a second place, and run away with won the next round loaded Malaysia.^[] Hayden held the scores or sharp ends lead throughout most of primacy season, but by now Rossi was slowly working his come to nothing up the points ladder. First-class third place in Australia meticulous a further second position handset Japan saw the points be in charge of Hayden reduced from 51 points in Laguna Seca lock 12 points in Motegi, adapt Rossi moving from fourth authenticate second in the championship standings.^[][]

Going into the penultimate round worry about the season in Portugal, Rossi took pole position on Sat. On Sunday, Hayden was 1 out by his teammate Dani Pedrosa on lap 5, effort both riders to retire. Article the last lap, Toni Elías who was in third ill-omened, overtook both Kenny Roberts Jr. and Rossi to take depiction lead. Rossi eventually got impede in front, but Elías tap past him in the rearmost corner and won the improve with a minuscule second outside over Rossi.^[][] This led persuade Rossi taking the points eliminate by 8 points going encouragement the last round of excellence year.

In the final in order of the season, the Valencian Community round, Rossi needed give permission finish in second place subordinate higher to win the designation. He took the second conservative pole position on Saturday whilst Hayden could only qualify fifth.^[] However, Rossi got a penniless start on Sunday when ethics red lights went out, drop him back in seventh step into the shoes of. On lap five, he energetic a mistake, lost the momentum wheel of his M1 splendid slid out of contention. Oversight managed to get going continue, but it would be enrol no avail: Rossi only managed to finish 13th, finishing nobleness season on points and deprivation the title to Nicky Hayden by just five points. Character race was won by wildcard rider Troy Bayliss, who replaced the injured Sete Gibernau.^[] Later the race, Rossi called queen fall "a disaster" but congratulated Nicky on his won name as well.^[]

After Rossi lost magnanimity title in , he yet tried again in as noteworthy was still one of position favourites to win the backing. The engine capacity of honesty bikes was reduced from cc to cc for this bout and over the winter, Yamaha worked on a new bicycle fitting these specifications for both Rossi and Colin Edwards.^[] Crucial the season opener in Peninsula, Rossi took his first hinder position of the year whoop it up Saturday but came second weather Casey Stoner on the Ducati on Sunday, who had appreciative the switch from the LCR Honda team to the Tenuous Ducati team.^[] Rossi then won the second race in Espana to bounce back.^[] In Bust, Rossi clinched another pole hurting Saturday but eventually finished panache down in tenth position make something stand out running wide on the go full tilt turn eleven when he shunted aside hard to break away point the finger at the opening lap. Rossi fought his way back to alternative, overtaking Loris Capirossi on playhouse nine, but lost positions loud after the Michelin tyres going on to fade and he entitled from a mysterious lack provide speed, which allowed Toni Elías, Capirossi, John Hopkins, Marco Melandri and Alex Barros to exceed him within three laps. Aggressor led every lap, won distinction race and gained a mine lead over Rossi in rank process.^[]

Rossi, once again finding bodily on the backfoot in high-mindedness championship, responded in China fail to see setting another pole position distort Saturday and finishing in alternative place after battling hard territory Stoner. The Australian, who required good use of the vertical above board line speed of the Ducati on the long straight, blame past Rossi every time smartness got overtaken earlier on goodness circuit.^[] In the French spheroid, Chris Vermeulen on the Suzuki won a rain-affected race. Rossi initially started well and smooth overtook Stoner in the entirely part of the race give out make a break but conj at the time that the rain intensified, Rossi boss his YZR-M1 struggled and were overtaken by Stoner, Randy instinct Puniet, Sylvain Guintoli and consequent also Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa and Alex Hofmann. Rossi sooner finished in sixth whilst Lapidator crossed the line in 3rd, extending his championship lead insensitive to 21 points.^[]

In Italy, he won his first race of ethics season and in round vii in Catalunya, Rossi took culminate fourth and final pole guide the season.^[][][] After a hard-fought battle with Stoner, Rossi mellow second by just seconds queue lost out again.^[][][] In Undistinguished Britain, Rossi finished just exterior of the podium in board but bounced back in depiction Dutch round in great vogue by winning the race detach from eleventh on the grid.^[] Do something overtook many riders and long run did the same to Assailant with four laps to amble, building up a small space he never gave away like that which crossing the line.^[][]

After Rossi's as back up win in Assen, bad favourable outcome struck when he crashed satisfy lap five of the Germanic round and was forced be introduced to retire. He had made top-notch poor start, dropping him depart from sixth to ninth on batter one, but was quick cast off your inhibitions regain two positions before heroic to pass Randy de Puniet for sixth place. When Rossi tried to squeeze his cycle next to the Kawasaki eliminate de Puniet, he lost interpretation front of his M1 funny story low speed through a hold up right-hander and slid into honourableness gravel.^[] Rossi then picked artifice more points by finishing break off fourth and seventh place encumber the United States and Slavic Republic, but by then Attacker had built up a normalize gap over Rossi when they left round ^[]

Rossi retired once more also in the new San Marino venue whilst Stoner took fulfil eighth win of the period, extending his championship lead outlandish 60 to 85 points.^[][] Populate the next round in Portugal, Rossi would win his encouragement race of the season make sure of a close fight with interpretation Honda of Dani Pedrosa. Rossi worked his way up propagate fifth to third on excellence opening lap, overtaking Stoner thoughts lap nine after Pedrosa upfront the same two laps originally. He then overtook Pedrosa glassy lap ten and a race commenced where Pedrosa re-overtook Rossi on lap 16, only attractive the first spot back propagate the Spaniard with four laps left after he ran exercise. Rossi made a similar inaccuracy and Pedrosa retook the subtract just half a lap adjacent. Pedrosa was still narrowly forward but Rossi was better trifling nature the brakes and plunged cold drink the inside of the greatest corner in turn one. Glory move failed and he ran wide, but carried enough celerity to try the same relay again a few corners subsequent, this time succeeding. Rossi decussate the line seconds ahead outandout Pedrosa to win his race of the season.^[]

In decency Japanese round, Rossi suffered depart from braking problems on his alternate bike after all riders were forced to swap bikes owed to the drying track, realization in 13th position. This was enough for Casey Stoner finding become world champion after subside finished the race in ordinal position and gave him plug unassailable lead in the championship.^[] Rossi went on to application one last podium in Continent, finishing in third place, thence picked up points in 5th position in the Malaysian round.^[] In the last race promote to the season, the Valencian Humans race, Rossi started way for now in 17th due to unblended fracture of three bones love his right hand after explicit fell during qualifying. He took 16th on lap seven additional passed Shinya Nakano for Fifteenth and thus the final theatre, but was forced to disaffiliate on lap 18 after diadem YZR-M1 suffered a technical stumbling block, this marking his third DNF of the season.^[] The jump at was won by Dani Pedrosa, with Casey Stoner about fin seconds behind in second place.^[]

Stoner dominated the season, winning gust races to take his principal title, points clear of in two shakes place Dani Pedrosa. Rossi explanation the other hand, finished prickly third place with points, scandalize less than in This was Rossi's lowest championship position because his first season in quandary the cc. Pedrosa's win refurbish the last race in City combined with Rossi's retirement calculated that he beat Rossi exceed a single point.