Valentino Rossi factfile

* His first passion was go-karts, but follows his father Graziano by taking up motorcycling and races in his first grand prix with Aprilia in 1996 in the 125cc category.

* Wins the 125cc world championship in 1997

* Moves up to the 250cc category and seals world championship in 1999 with Aprilia.

* Takes the 500cc world title with Honda in 2001 before winning the 2002 and 2003 championships as the event becomes MotoGP.

* Switches to Yamaha and secures the 2004 and 2005 world titles to become one of the sport's all time greats.

* Suffers disappointing 2006 and 2007 seasons but pledges to stick with Yamaha and his decision is justified when he surges to the 2008 championship.

* Successfully defends his title with a race to spare in the 2009 season, sealing the championship with a podium finish in wet conditions at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

* Nicknamed "the Doctor" in Italy, he has become one of the country's most loved sportsmen despite a tax evasion probe in 2007 that resulted in him paying a 35 million euro bill.

* Known for his colourful helmets, Rossi has also shown an interest in Formula One and rallying. He has competed in one-off races in the World Rally Championship and is due to drive a Ford Focus in March's Mexico rally.