Can leaving a factory team end Rossi’s MotoGP victory drought?

It is over three-and-a-half years since the Italian national anthem rang out to declare a Valentino Rossi victory in MotoGP. To some onlookers his move out of the factory Yamaha squad meant the 2017 Dutch TT could remain his final win but, after an encouraging transition at Petronas SRT, hope is far from lost

Lewis Duncan Mar 19, 2021, 11:25 AM

Upd: Mar 19, 2021, 11:50 AM

The world seems to get itself into an increasingly unpredictable state of flux with each passing year, but one thing that pleasingly stays the same is Valentino Rossi’s continuing MotoGP career.

The 2021 season will be Rossi’s 26th in grand prix racing, a journey that started back in 1996 in the 125cc class and has wound its way through nine world titles in total – seven of which in the premier class – 115 victories (89 of those in MotoGP) and a quite incredible 414 GP starts. To contextualise that last point, Rossi’s grand prix career is just 20 weeks older than this writer’s entire existence.

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Author Lewis Duncan

Lewis Duncan is Autosport's International Editor and primary motorcycle racing reporter. A motorsport fan from a young age, Lewis became interested in journalism when he won the star letter competition in the February 2012 issue of F1 Racing Magazine. A member of the Autosport Academy from 2017, Lewis became a freelance motorcycle racing correspondent for Autosport in 2019 before becoming a full-time staffer in 2020 as International Editor.

While MotoGP coverage is his priority, Lewis also covers World Superbikes and road racing across the Motorsport Network, and hosts the Tank Slappers Podcast. He has also occasionally commentated on 750 Motor Club meetings. Away from motorsport, Lewis is a keen record collector with a collection unashamedly largely featuring Iron Maiden and Rush and an avid guitar player.