Wednesday, July 29, 2009

1997 Helmets: 125cc



1997 History

Rossi was racing the Aprilia RS125R in 1997 and it was to be the season where he came of age and turned the potential he showed in 1996, into actual results and consistent race winning form. In his 1997 season Rossi became the 125cc World Champion, collecting 4 pole positions and 11 race wins along the way.

AGV Suzuka 1997 Helmet

Rossi Suzuka 1997 Helmet

Location: Grand Prix of Japan, Suzuka, Japan
Date: Round 2, 1997
Race position: DNF

Valentino Rossi has a history of coming out with a new helmet design at certain rounds and tracks, and like Mugello, the Japanese Grand Prix is an event that Rossi has always had a special relationship with (and a special helmet for).

Rossi Suzuka Helmet 1997

Rossi has a huge fan base in Japan and for a while was even known for the nickname “Rossifumi”. The “Rossifumi” nickname was a tribute to Norifumi Abe, a rider that had a spectacular racing style that Rossi greatly admired. (Sadly Norifumi Abe was killed in a road accident on October 7th 2007 when a truck pulled out in front of him). Rossi often featured a sticker on his helmet or his bike that was written in Japanese script that said “Go Rossifumi”.
In 1997 for the 125cc race, Rossi featured a tribute to Japan by wearing a variation of his usual Sun and Moon helmet. The usual emblems of the sun and the moon on Rossi’s helmet were pushed down to make room for a rising sun design that covered the crown of his helmet. The helmet failed to bring Rossi much luck as he only managed to complete 2 laps before withdrawing from the race – it was his only DNF (did not finish) of the 1997 season.

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About Vale

Valentino Rossi, (born February 16, 1979 in Urbino), is an Italian professional motorcycle racer and multiple MotoGP World Champion. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with 8 Grand Prix World Championships to his name. According to Sports Illustrated, Rossi is one of the highest earning sports personalities in the world, having earned an estimated $34 million in 2007.

Following his father, Graziano Rossi, Rossi started racing in Grand Prix in 1996 for Aprilia in the 125cc category and won his first World Championship the following year. From there, he moved up to the 250cc category with Aprilia and won the World Championship in 1999. He won the 500cc World Championship with Honda in 2001, the MotoGP World Championships (also with Honda) in 2002 and 2003, and continued his streak of back-to-back championships by winning the 2004 and 2005 titles after leaving Honda to join Yamaha, before regaining the title in 2008.


Random Pics

Rossi 46 black by valentinorossi.
 He has always raced with the number #46 in his motorcycle grand prix career. Rossi has stated that the original inspiration for this choice of number was the Japanese "wild card" racer Norifumi Abe whom he saw on television speeding past much more seasoned riders in a wet race. He later found out that it was the number his father had raced with in the first of his 3 grand prix career wins, in 1979, in Yugoslavia, on a 250c Morbidelli. Typically, a World Championship winner (and also runner-up and third place) is awarded the #1 sticker for the next season. However, in a homage to Barry Sheene (who was the first rider of the modern era to keep the same number, #7), Rossi has stayed with the now-famous #46 throughout his career. The text on his helmet refers to the name of his group of friends: "The Tribe of the Chihuahua," and the letters WLF on his leathers stand for "Viva La Figa," Italian for "Long Live Pussy." He has so far escaped any sanctions or ultimatums that he remove the letters because the "W" in "WLF" represents the two "V"s in "ViVa". Equally obvious is his success at escaping any disciplinary action from the FIM or Dorna for having the letters so brazenly on the front neck area of his leathers. He traditionally also incorporates his favorite color (fluorescent yellow) into his leather designs. Though Rossi won the MotoGP title six times he never put the number 1 on his motorcycle representing the World Champion, instead staying with his famous "46". But Rossi has worn the #1 reserved for the reigning World Champion on the shoulder of his racing leathers.