Valencia, Nov 03: MotoGP 2003 champion Valentino Rossi finishes his season with victory at a Spanish race he has never won before.
World champion Valentino Rossi rounded out a second season of domination of MotoGP with his ninth victory of the year at the Valencia Grand Prix on Sunday (November 2).
It was the 20th win in 32 races over the last two seasons for Rossi on the Honda RCV, but it may also have been the last with an announcement about his future with the Japanese manufacturer expected later on Sunday.
The ebullient 24-year-old crossed the line with his front wheel in the air to celebrate his first victory at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, completing a full house of wins at grand prix circuits still in use. He then donned an Afro wig and outsize sunglasses for the celebrations on the podium. Rossi, who clinched his third straight title in Malaysia last month said it was very good to have won at a circuit where he has never had success before.


The Italian's 59th victory in 124 grands prix at all levels ensured that he tied motorcycling great Giacomo Agostini's record of consecutive podiums with his 22nd straight top-three finish.


His 357 points this season are also a record, exceeding his own 2002 mark by two. Rossi had to work hard for his win with championship runner-up Sete Gibernau doing his best early in the race to give the 121,342 crowd some local success to cheer about.


But Rossi once again showed that he is at his finest when under pressure and did enough to keep the Catalan well in second place.

Bureau Report