Two Decades On: Celebrating Valentino Rossi’s Illustrious 20-Year Journey Since His Grand Prix Debut

Two Decades Ago on This Date…

On this day, two decades ago, March 31st, the iconic MotoGP racer Valentino Rossi embarked on his professional Grand Prix journey. His first race was in the 125cc category during the 1996 Malaysian Grand Prix, held at the Shah Alam circuit.

This image captures the young individual, who was 16 at the time, attending the occasion (photo courtesy of Gold and Goose).

The Italian rider crossed the finish line in sixth position, trailing 7.379 seconds behind fellow Italian Stefano Perugini, yet he achieved his first win later that year in Brno, marking the beginning of his 112 victories to date.

At 37 years old, Rossi stands as the most senior competitor in the MotoGP lineup, having secured nine world titles. Notably, he narrowly missed clinching the championship in the closing stages of the 2006 and 2015

This weekend in Argentina, the Doctor will pursue his ambition for a tenth championship title at the upcoming event.

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