For many, Valentino Rossi is the greatest motorcycle Grand Prix rider of all time. Six-time world champion Jim Redman feels the Italian has completely changed the way he thinks about racing.
The Doctor was the face of MotoGP throughout the 2000s. After winning the 125cc title in 1997 and the 250cc title in 1999. Rossi In the year He joined the Premier Division in 2000, finishing second in his first season before taking over the championship.
Who will beat Valentino Rossi on the current MotoGP grid today?
He won five consecutive titles between 2001 and 2005, before claiming his sixth and seventh crowns in 2008 and 2009. Before MotoGP arrived, Kevin Schwantz saw that Rossi was special.And when he arrived, he showed more of that talent.
The Italian was almost bigger than the sport with his incredible talent and dominance. He was also an inspiration, with Alvaro Bautista Rossi changed the way riders think. By doing it casually rather than seriously.
Valentino Rossi ‘barely helped’ racing after seeing Jim Redman in MotoGP.
Having won two 250cc titles and four 350cc championships, Redman is well equipped to give his opinion on who the Grand Prix ‘GOAT’ is. Discussing Rossi, he spoke of his ‘genius’ in understanding his opponents and exploiting their weaknesses to his advantage.
He said, through the verses Make a mark: “The next guy changes the way you think about someone. I saw Valentino Rossi and realized that racing was something I didn’t really understand.
“It wasn’t just about the bike, or the speed, courage or technique, it was about the mind. Rossi didn’t just run at you, he studied you. He learned your patterns, your weaknesses, the corner where you hesitated, the moment your confidence cracked. And he used it all against you.
“Catalonia 2009 with Jorge Lorenzo in the final round
What is your favorite bike from Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP career?
“Lorenzo had the line, the speed, but Rossi didn’t widen and went in, into the impossible lane, braking late, leaning more, trusting the front tire more than allowed. In my day that move is suicidal.”
“The tires wouldn’t catch you, the brakes wouldn’t stop you in time, but Rossi had something I never knew.
“We had information. He knew the tires, the grip… and most importantly, he knew Lorenzo. He knew exactly where to hit, that’s his trick. Not only his driving ability, but his ability to read the race, read the opponent and collect at the perfect time.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Valentino Rossi from stats to net worth
Jim Redman thought Valentino Rossi was ‘the perfect rider’ until Marc Marquez came along
Redman added that he believed Rossi was ‘the end’ and that no one could top what he showed in MotoGP. However, he was soon proved wrong by the appearance of Marc Marquez.
“I thought Rossi was the end, the complete rider: intelligence, technique, instinct, what more could you ask for? But I saw the boy from Cervera and I couldn’t understand what I was seeing,” he said.
In the year Arriving in 2013, Marquez was immediately up to speed and showed world-class talent, winning the championship in his rookie season before going on to win another six titles. The Spaniard idolized Rossi as a child and soon created a fierce rivalry.
In 2015, the conflict between Rossi and Marquez It still rocks the MotoGP paddock today. The latter will see the rivalry continue in 2026, as he attempts to match the former’s nine Grands Prix wins with Ducati.
Receive competition news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
