Tony Coco - The Battles of Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi born in Urbino, Italy, 16February 1979 is a living legend in the MotoGP. Rossi is thephenomenal, he has carved various records in the world ofmotosport. His performance in the race track is the most awaitedfor motorsport fans. He also fast and entertaining. His relaxed andfun style also creates his own atmosphere, both for the team andthe MotoGP event as a whole. He is liked and respected by rivals.Fans of 'The Doctor' is spread across the world, support loyaltywherever Rossi race.

Valentino Rossi

Valentino Rossi was growth from a family ofracers. His father, Graziano Rossi was motorcycle racer in1977-1982. The blood of his father is flowing in Rossi's body.Since the age of five years, Rossi has been introduced racingworld. Graziano Rossi wants his son to follow in his footsteps as aworld-class rider. But the mother, Stefania worried about thesafety of little Rossi, otherwise his father who wants Rossi togrow into a tough child.

They made a deal. Rossi still taught the racebut with a karting car. A kart car is safer for a child than amotorcycle. Because his father wanted a fast vehicle, a 60 cc kartcar was replaced with a 100cc engine. In karting, Rossi won theregional kart championship in 1990. After rising to minimoto, healso won the regional championship in 1991.

On the national level, Rossi is ranked fifthin the kart championship in Parma. Rossi and his father hadtargeted the Italian Series 100 cc to raise the path to Formula 1racing. However, minimoto racing that requires large funds to makeRossi has not continued his career in racing cars.

Valentino Rossi as a teenager in his hometownUrbino, Italy.

In 1993, Rossi turned to motorcycle racing bytrying to ride a 125cc Cagiva Mito. The first time racing, heimmediately destroyed the motor just a few hundred meters from thepit lane. The motor was rectified again and allowed Rossi to learnfrom his mistakes. The result, he fell back at the second corner.It was a silly and rewarding experience for Rossi, who was weighingwhether motor racing was the right place for him. Rossi's talentbegan to appear and he continues to improve his racing skills. Withthe same motor, he won the Italian national championship at the endof the season.

Rossi started the professional racer when hejoined Aprilia to develop RS125R motorcycle. Rossi learned tocontrol the speed of 125 cc motor that became the standard of theworld championship. With Aprilia, he also raced at Italian nationalchampionship that eventually took him competing in the EuropeanChampionships in 1995.

Rossi finally managed to appear in the 125 ccMotor World Championship in 1996. Joining the Scuderia AGV Apriliateam, he completed his first season with one win, two podiums, onepole position and standing 9th at the end of the season. Theresults are pretty good for beginners. His first victory at theworld championship was in the 11th series of the Czech Grand Prixat Brno Circuit. Also in his first season, Rossi raced at SentulCircuit in the second series of MotoGP Indonesia. At that timeRossi finished in 11th position.

In his second season, Rossi immediatelybecame world champion. He achieved 11 wins, 13 podiums and 4 polesfor the Nastro Azzuro Aprilia team. In this champion season also,Rossi began to show his character; a fun and sometimes quirky. Hefelt his talent is unmatched so he is more confident. Rossi oftenperform unique and strange celebration. Once he carried andcaressed Claudia Schiffer's replica doll. He has also styledSuperman and Robin Hood. When confirming the title of this season,Rossi carrying a large number 1 replica.

Valentino Rossi celebrates as world championin the 125cc class in Brno, Czech Republic.

In that season also, began to emerged theseeds of disputes with his compatriot Max Biaggi. Biaggi is a moresenior Italian rider than Rossi. Since the 1994 season, Biaggi haswon consecutive world championship in the 250cc class. In the 2007season, he was chasing his fourth title in a row with HondaMarlboro Kanemoto team. Fire of feud began at a press conferenceafter the race at Shah Alam, Malayasia. At that time reportersasked Rossi, "Do you want to be Biaggi 125cc version?" He coollyreplied, "Sorry, it seems that he is the one who dreams of becomingRossi with his 250cc motorcycle".

Rossi's answer made Biaggi upset. He was veryoffended. Ahead of the next series that took place in Japan, theyaccidentally met at a restaurant. Biaggi went to Rossi and thensaid, "Before you say about me better wash your mouth first". Andthe feud of two Italian top rider began.

In 1998 season, Rossi upgraded to 250ccclass. Still joining the Nastro Azzuro Aprilia team, he appearedimpressive and shocked senior riders such as Loris Capirossi andTetsuya Harada. At the end of the season he became runner up,trailing 23 points from champion Loris Capirossi. Actually, Rossiperform quite promising by packing 5 wins and 9 podiums.

Like when in the 125cc class, Rossi throughhis second season with fantastic. Rise the podium 12 times out of16 series, 9 of them as winner. Rossi also managed to shiftCapirossi as world champion 250cc class. The unique celebrationthat makes fans crazier is the foot pat during the first podium inSpanish MotoGP at Jerez Circuit. Rossi also suddenly jumped thefence to urinate impromptu in the toilet marshal on the edge of thecircuit (this celebration and then repeated again when appearing inMotoGP 2009, also in Jerez).

Valentino Rossi celebrates victory withurinate at Jerez 1999.

Another celebration in the 1999 season wasafter he won the Rio de Janiero GP, Rossi thanked the 'GuardianAngel' by giving him a ride to the paddock. The Guardian Angel isan angel-style man complete with white wings. Nobody known thisangel come, he just appeared on the edge of the track. Rossi walkedover and rode her to the paddock.

Rossi joined the 500cc primary class in 2000.He left his Aprilia motorcycle and joined the Honda Nastro Azzuro.This Japanese manufacturer also welcomed Rossi with pleasure. Evenfive-time World Champion Mick Doohan and reliable mechanic JeremyBurgess is ready to handle it. In this class of kings, Max Biaggiwas waiting for him. The battle that proving who the best of themstarts. "Now he has to take off and keep all his toys stuffed intothe locker, because he's not a little clown anymore at the moment,"comments Biaggi at the time.

Rossi made his debut less satisfactory. Hefailed to finish at his first two series namely the South AfricanGP and Malaysian GP. But slowly he showed his skill and able to sethis first podium in the primary class at the Spanish GP, at JerezCircuit. He finished third, behind Kenny Roberts Jr. and CarlosCheca. Rossi just gained his first victory in the British GP's 9thseries at Donington Park Circuit. He also ended the season asrunner-up, behind the champion Kenny Roberts Jr. While his personalrival Max Biaggi ranks third.

Under the guidance of Mick Doohan and JeremyBurgess, there is a change in Rossi. Serious paddock atmospheremakes it more 'quiet' and rarely do weird things. But its notRossi's if dont make a change of atmosphere. If the atmosphere ofthe previous team is rigid, he changes to be more fun. The partyafter victory becomes a mandatory ritual in his team.