How Rossi changed two-wheels forever

A legend emerges

As we look back now, it is hard to believe that at the beginning of 2000, MotoGP was not actually MotoGP. Instead, it was 500cc two-strokes. Valentino Rossi had not yet ridden a race, and the rules for MotoGP's 990cc had not even been announced.

We went through the fantastic five years of 990s, motorcycling's answer to the Group B rally cars of the eighties; then into 800s; and now we have the rules announced for the new 1000cc era in 2012. What other decades can boast that? None.

Wind back ten years and there was an inkling of the success that Rossi was to have. He had, after all, won world titles in 125s and 250s, but we had no idea just how great the level of achievement was to be.

The new decade was the end of the factory Honda squad's domination after six straight 500cc titles. After a shock win for Australian Garry McCoy on the WCM Yamaha in the South African opener, some sense of normality was resumed in Malaysia as Suzuki rider Kenny Roberts Jr - the championship runner-up in 1999 - took a comfortable victory.

Roberts looked more and more a champion in waiting as the season reached its halfway stage. By July though, a new threat was emerging in the shape of a 21-year-old Italian, who was a race-winner by the British Grand Prix.

The second half of the season belonged to two Italians; Rossi, being run on a factory Honda but independently of the official 'works' squad, and Yamaha rider Max Biaggi. One or both of them made it onto the podium in each of the final eight races and hauled themselves up to second and third in the points. Neither could make up the gap to Roberts though, who played the percentages and wrapped up the title at Motegi.