Rossi Records
Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP win at Qatar was significant in a number of ways as he continues to accumulate motorcycle racing trophies and set new records. For one, it is the first time that Rossi has won at Losail since the race was first held under floodlights. This is significant due to the varied track conditions caused by the night race.
Here are some other facts about his road racing record book roll:
> Under the exacting bike control of VR 46, Qatar is also the first win for the Yamaha 800cc Moto GP machine.
> Rossi’s win in Qatar is his first in the opening race of the year since he won at Jerez in 2005. In all the other years preceding 2010, he has been off to slower season starts.
> 2010 is the 11th successive year that Rossi has won a premier-class Grand Prix race, taking him closer to the record of Giacomo Agostini of having won in the premier-class in twelve successive seasons.
> This is the 15th successive year that he has taken at least one GP racing victory across all classes (125cc, 250cc/Moto2, MotoGP) – a feat that no other rider has ever achieved.
Entering round 2 of the motorcycle-racing season, Valentino Rossi has a great record at Jerez with six victories. To add to that he has two other podium finishes from his ten starts at the Spanish racing circuit in the premier-class.
The only two occasions he did not finish on the podium were in the wet race of 2004 when he was 4th and in 2006 when he finished 14th, having crashed at the first corner after a collision with Toni Elias, now off to the Moto2 class.
The last time that Rossi started from pole at the Jerez circuit was back in 2005. As racing fans worldwide await the 2010 Jerez round, Rossi plans for his 10th world title knowing well the record books also wait for some more rewriting.
