Seven-time MotoGP champion, Italian Valentino Rossi, says he’s thinking about calling it a career after the 2014 MotoGP season.
But before he’s done for good, the now 32-year-old Rossi says he has some unfinished business to attend to – success for his Ducati team.
Rossi said he plans to extend his contract before it expires at the end of the 2012 season. Rossi won his last title in 2009.
“I want a new two-year contract with Ducati, maybe the last, and then I’ll think about how to enjoy myself,” Rossi said. “I want to win something here, make Ducati grow, and then stop.”
Over the course of his distinguished career, Rossi has won nine championships; seven in the top MotoGP class which included five consecutive titles from 2001-05 and two more in 2008 and 2009. Rossi took those titles riding for Honda and Yamaha and has yet to achieve that kind of success for Ducati.
Earlier this year, Rossi was involved in a crash at the Sepang circuit which claimed the life of rider Marco Simoncelli. After that tragedy, Rossi mentioned retirement as well.
“Marco lost the front end and attempted to save the crash, but unfortunately the inertia of the bike took him onto the inside of the corner just when Edwards and Valentino were passing,” said Jorge Martinez, a former rider and now owner of the Aspar Racing Team.
Rossi has been the most dominating racer in the modern motorcycle racing era by winning nine titles in all classes, matching Carlo Ubialli and Mike Hailwood. He stands just six wins short of Giacomo Agostini’s record of 15. Rossi did manage to beat Agostini’s record of premier-class race wins – then at 68 – back in 2008, but is still behind his countryman’s mark of 122 overall wins.
In 2009, Rossi stood on the podium for the 160th time in all classes to set a new record and is the only rider to have reached the podium over 100 times in the premier-class. He’s also the only man to have won at least one GP race in 14 straight seasons, a streak which ended this year.
Rossi is also the second rider in history to win the 125, 250, and 500cc, accomplishing that “Triple Crown” feat back in 2001.
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