Valentino Rossi

Honda's Dani Pedrosa won the Valencia MotoGP here on Sunday, the final race of the 2009 season, while Japan's Hiroshi Aoyama claimed the 250cc world title. In front of 95,000 home fans, Pedrosa achieved his second win of the season while world champion Valentino Rossi of Italy was second on a Yamaha. Rossi's Spanish teammate Jorge Lorenzo was third. Pedrosa also took third place in the overall standings at the expense of Australian Casey Stoner, who crashed on the warm-up lap. Ducati rider Stoner, who had been due to start on pole and was bidding for a third straight win, failed to make the ... Read Full Story

Australia's Casey Stoner set the pace in the first free practice session on Friday ahead of Sunday's season-ending Valencia MotoGP. The Ducati rider clocked 1min 32.813sec to hold off Spaniards Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa with world champion Valentino Rossi fourth fastest on his Yamaha. Stoner, who has won the last two races on his Ducati following a three-event absence due to fatigue, dominated the race weekend here in 2008. He secured pole position, set a lap record and won the race. And he is looking for a similar result this year. "Whether I win or lose this race won't change much for my ... Read Full Story

Valentino Rossi of Italy and Fiat Yamaha Team signs autographs for fans at a paddock area prior to free practice for the MotoGP World Championship Grand Prix of Japan at Twin Ring Motegi on April 24, 2009 in Motegi, Japan. (Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Valentino Rossi (Getty Images) more pics » Go anywhere in Europe and ask someone on the street if they're a fan of "The Doctor" and you'll likely hear a very long and passionate discourse about the greatest motorcycle racer the world has ever known. On June 27, 2009, at only 30 years old, Valentino Rossi ... Read Full Story

Defending world champion Valentino Rossi claimed his seventh MotoGP title in a thrilling race in wet conditions on Sunday at the Malaysian Moto GP. Australian Casey Stoner won the race but the 30-year-old Italian secured the title by coming in third on his Yamaha. Spain's Dani Pedrosa was second. Rossi said he was delighted to seal the championship title with one race to go, in Valencia on November 8. "With one round to go, I have clinched the world title. I thank all the people who helped me achieve this achievement. We did some great fight," he said. "Today?s race went a bit like ... Read Full Story

World champion Valentino Rossi, who hopes to seal a seventh championship this weekend, failed to set the pace Friday in the wilting heat of the first practice session for Sunday's Malaysian Moto GP. Spain's Jorge Lorenzo, who is the only other rider in contention for the world title, set the fastest pace at 2min 02.180sec, with Australian Casey Stoner at 0.064sec in the hot and oppressively humid conditions. Spaniard Dani Pedrosa was third at 0.578sec while Italy's six-time world champion Rossi came fourth at 0.684sec. The 5.5 kilometre (3.4 mile) Sepang circuit, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, has a combination of tight corners, ... Read Full Story

Spain's Jorge Lorenzo, riding a Yamaha, moved to within 18 points of Moto GP championship leader Valentino Rossi after winning the Portuguese Grand Prix here on Sunday. Australian Casey Stoner and another Spaniard, Dani Pedrosa, finished second and third respectively. Lorenzo's fourth win of the season, which repeated his maiden career win in the elite class in 2008, means he has closed the gap to Rossi, his teammate at Yamaha, with just three races left. Lorenzo overcame the early surges of Pedrosa to take control of the race on the first lap and went on to lead almost from start to finish, with Rossi ... Read Full Story

Spain's Jorge Lorenzo, riding a Yamaha, moved to within 18 points of Moto GP championship leader Valentino Rossi after winning the Portuguese Grand Prix here on Sunday. Australian Casey Stoner and another Spaniard, Dani Pedrosa, finished second and third respectively. Lorenzo's fourth win of the season, which repeated his maiden career win in the elite class in 2008, means he has closed the gap to Rossi, his teammate at Yamaha, with just three races left. Lorenzo overcame the early surges of Pedrosa to take control of the race on the first lap and went on to lead almost from start to finish, with Rossi ... Read Full Story