Valentino Rossi

Italian motorcycle racer, he holds first place in all time 500 cc/MotoGP race wins standings.

By 1994, he had won the world championship six times. Rossi first caught public attention in 1996. The son of a racer, Valentino began racing small bikes at age 12 and, as he grew, took on bigger and bigger challenges riding bigger and bigger bikes. He began winning races in Italy.

In 1995, he won the 125cc Italian championship and placed third in the 125cc European championship. The year 1996 marked his first international debut when, at the Malaysian Grand Prix, he finished in ninth place. The following year, 1997, he became the youngest world champion.

Valentino often acts like a clown at practice and before races but is serious and passionate about his work.