Rossi, retired at 42: numbers and records in MotoGP

After 26 seasons in the World Championship, Valentino Rossi announces his retirement at 42. A career full of victories, records and celebrations that have gone down in history: from the first podium in Austria in 1996, when he raced with Aprilia in the 125 class, to 2021, when he reached the 22-season record in the top-class. Read also Nine world titles and 115 GPs won in his inimitable career. On March 31, 1996 the debut in the 125cc world championship. All the participants in that race concluded their experience in the world championship at least 14 years ago, the last one was Youichi Ui in 2007. A few months later, on August 4, the first career podium: he is third on his Aprilia in the Austrian GP. On 18 August of the same year, his first career victory arrives in Brno. On 31 August 1997, in the same circuit where he had obtained his first victory – that of Brno in the Czech Republic – he also won his first 125 World Championship. On 27 June 1998, in Assen, he also achieved his first victory in 250. On 24 October 1999, in Rio de Janeiro he won his second world title, the first in 250. Instead, on 19 March 1999, he made his debut in the premier class. At the Phakisa circuit in South Africa, his debut is not exactly the best as he does not finish the race. The following month, on April 30, the first podium in the top class arrives: he is third in Jerez, Spain, behind Kenny Roberts and Carlos Checa. On 9 July 2000, in Donington, here is the first victory in 500: he is 21 years old, 4 months and 23 days old. The following year, on October 14th at Phillip Island, the first World Championship arrives in the top class, the third in his career for the champion from Tavullia. On July 14, 2002, in Donington, Valentino celebrated his 100 career GP considering all classes. On 21 September 2002, in Rio de Janeiro, the second World Championship arrives in the premier class, the first if we consider MotoGP and the fourth total in my career. On October 20, 2002, at Phillip Island, he scored his 50th career victory since his debut. On September 20, 2003, he celebrated his 50th podium in the top class in Rio. The following month, in Sepang, the Doctor makes his fifth career in the World Championship, the third in the premier class. 2004 opens in South Africa and the first race in Yamaha is immediately victory: the sequence of podiums in the top-class rises to 23, an absolute record. On October 17, 2004, at Phillip Island, there is also the sixth World Championship, the fourth in the top class. On that occasion also the podium number 100 arrives among all the classes. In Sepang, on 25 September 2005, he won his fifth world title in the premier class, his seventh in his career. In Australia on October 16 celebrates the 11th victory of the season. This is his record, set 3 times: 2001, 2002, 2005 In the Losail GP on April 8, 2006, he hits the 54th victory in the top class and equals Mick Doohan in second place of all time. In front of him there is only Giacomo Agostini at 68. On 3 June 2007, at Mugello, Rossi arrives first and conquers the 95th podium in the top class, equaling the absolute record of Mick Doohan. Co-record that lasts only one week, given that with the second place in Catalonia on 10 June it surpasses the Australian legend. On March 30, 2008, in Jerez, he finished second behind Pedrosa, but reached 100 podiums in the premier class. The same year, at Le Mans, comes the 90th victory in all classes. Rossi equals Angel Nieto in second place all times. In front of the Doctor there is only Giacomo Agostini with 122 successes. On 22 June 2008, in Donington, Rossi raced his 200th GP of his career. In the Misano GP on 31 July 2008, he hits the 68th victory in the top class: equaled the absolute record of Giacomo Agostini. Record exceeded at 69 in the next race in Indianapolis. On 28 September 2008, in Motegi, the Doctor was crowned world champion for the eighth time in his career, the sixth in the premier class. On 19 October 2008, in Sepang, he won the race and thus achieved the 150th podium among all classes. On June 27, 2009, on the Assen circuit, he won his GP number 100 considering all classes. In the same year, on 25 October, in Sepang he won the seventh world title in the top-class, better than him only Giacomo Agostini (8). And not only. Vale enters the drivers’ club with at least 9 titles on the bulletin board, considering all the classes. The others are Agostini (15), Hailwood (9), Angel Nieto (13), Ubbiali (9). On 18 May 2014, at the age of 35, he conquered the 150th podium in the premier class at Le Mans. That same year, at Mugello, he raced the 300th GP of his career. On 13 July 2014, in Brno, he took to the track for the 245th time in the top class, equaling the record for attendance in the premier class held by Alex Barros. In May 2015, in Jerez, Valentino finished third behind Lorenzo and Marquez: for him this is the 200th podium among all classes. 25 June 2017: triumphs in Assen for the eighth time. This is his record of victories in a single circuit, the absolute one is Giacomo Agostini: 10 victories in Imatra. 16 years, 11 months and 16 days: this is the current record for the maximum time interval between two top-class wins (Donington 2000 – Assen 2017). Valentino in Holland further improves the absolute record that already belongs to him, reaching 89 victories in the top-class. At 38 years, 4 months and 9 days he is the 7th “oldest” winner of the top-class. Before him: Fergus Anderson (44); Jack Findlay (42); Les Graham (41); Jack Ahearn (39); Harold Daniell (39); Frantisek Stastny (38/8/6). On 22 October 2017 he is 2nd in Australia: the 15 podiums of Phillip Island represent a record. No one has conquered more in a single top-class circuit. In Jerez, on 6 May 2018, he reached a total of km traveled in all classes equal to 40,075: the equivalent of the circumference of the earth. Also in 2019, at the age of 40, he is able to get on the podium and he does so on March 31 in the Argentine Grand Prix, finishing second behind Marc Marquez. Podium that the Doctor also confirmed in the next GP, that of Austin (Texas), where he finished second, this time behind Alex Rins. On 27 October 2019 he races the Australian GP (finished in eighth place) and reaches 400 GPs, yet another record in a legendary career. On 26 July 2020 he celebrates the 199th podium in the top-class, the 235th considering all the classes: he is 3rd in Jerez. Rossi has been on the podium for 25 consecutive seasons. He already had the record: the first pursuer is Angel Nieto, with 20 consecutive seasons on the podium. Jerez is also the 142nd podium with Yamaha in the top-class: record of podiums with only one manufacturer. On 20 September on the Misano track, the Doctor becomes the only rider to have taken part in 250 GPs with only one manufacturer. 2021 World Championship: Valentino begins his 22nd season in the top-class (absolute record, beaten Jack he starts in just one race and in 1959 only in two), alongside him in Petronas is his friend Franco Morbidelli. As announced at the conference, Rossi will retire at the end of the 2021 season. The one in Petronas will therefore be his last World Championship in MotoGP: a total of 26 seasons in the World Championship. In his sights he has absolute top-class records in the modern era that already bear his name, but which can have even higher numbers: 39331 km and 8544 laps in the race, 5388 points, 363 races started, 319 races in points, 148 front row appearances, 76 fastest laps.