Rossi wins fifth successive world title

Posted : 30-09-2005

Italian superbike star Valentino Rossi has won the MotoGP world championship for the fifth time in a row after finishing second in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Still only 26, Italy's most sought-after sportsman has already won the 125cc title in 1997, the 250cc trophy in 1999 and was the last 500cc champion in 2001 with Honda.

Now, his run of five successive premier titles takes him to within grasping distance of fellow Italian Agostini's record of seven in a row.

Sporting a t-shirt emblazoned with the number seven – representing the total number of world titles he has won – Rossi celebrated on the podium after Sunday's race in Malaysia.

"Today I put the number seven on my t-shirt because this is the number of my championships but also because it was the number of Barry Sheene, who was a great hero of mine and a truly great racer," he said.

Reflecting on the year, he added: "I think for me the race at Mugello was the biggest emotion of the season, because it was in front of my home fans.

"Every year there is a different story to the championship, and this year has been a hard battle. The emotion to win a seventh world championship is difficult to explain."

Rossi has kick-started the new campaign in style, racking up the fastest time in practice at the Qatar Grand Prix on Thursday, signalling his intention to add to his already staggering haul of trophies.


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