31.01.2022Minichamps presents a huge model of the machine with which "the doctor" marked the end of a flawless season in 2004

His trademark is the starting number 46, which was also worn by his father. One of his nicknames is "the doctor". In addition to his driving style for motorcycle tricks, he is also known for his special helmet and cover designs. He is a world wide media star and one of the most popular athletes of Italy. We're talking about Valentino Rossi. As many others, he also got to the professional motorsport through karting. At the age of 12, Rossi changed to two-wheels and achieved first successes. For example, the world championship title 1997 in the 125-class on Aprilia. Two years later, the world championship title in the 250-class followed after a season in which Rossi had won nine out of fourteen races. In 2001, the world championship title even followed in the 500-class. Thus, Rossi is the second driver in the history of motorcycle sports that achieved a world championship title in all three classes. Afterwards, many world championship titles followed in the newly born Moto-GP class. With 432 starts, Rossi has achieved an unbelievable rate of 115 wins, 65 poles and 96 fastest laps. These stats earned him a total of 9 world titles and 235 podiums.

Rossi has received several awards in his home country of Italy. Among other things, to Italy's Sportsman of the Year (2001, 2002, 2003, 2008 and 2009). In his home town of Tavullia, the maximum speed was reduced from 50 kph to 46 kph based on Rossi's starting number.

The model from label Minichamps, of Valentino Rossi's Yamaha YZR-M1 in the design of the team Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha, is limited to 999 pieces. Minichamps replicated the original true to detail into scale 1:4 and brings it in an unbelievable length of 50cm. Even the replica of the fuel tubes, the speedometer and other details are in no way inferior to the original. The model commemorates one of the most memorable moments in Rossi's career. It was his first year with Yamaha when Rossi tricked and overtook the Spaniard Sete Gibernau in the finish corner at the Icelandic GP in 2004 at almost 220 kph. Rossi thus marked the end of a flawless season. The fact that Gibernau was the one that Rossi overtook shortly before crossing the finish line should have given Rossi a great deal of satisfaction. Earlier at the Qatar race, Rossi's crew scrubbed the track with brooms where Rossi was supposed to start to give him better grip. Following a complaint from Gibbernau and his team, Rossi was relegated to last place at the start for breaking the rules and crashed on his recovery, leaving Qatar without a point. At the Iceland GP, Rossi put the lost points from Qatar into perspective and became world champion.

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