Valentino Rossi

Winner

Sporting Icon Award 2022 Winner

Valentino

Rossi

Motor Cycling

Italy

The great Italian motor cycle legend retired at the end of the 2021 World MotoGP season. Over a career spanning more than a quarter of a century, the Italian’s record and personal magnetism will be hard to match or surpass, either on or off the track. Rossi’s name will forever feature in the history books.

He won nine World Championships and recorded 115 wins and 235 podiums. He is the only rider to win world titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP categories. His unique brand of charisma, speed, race craft and domination of his sport – plus a dash of rock and roll – have made the Italian much more than just a motor cycle rider. He was nominated eight times for a Laureus Award, and in 2006 he was honoured with the Laureus Spirit of Sport Award to mark his contribution to motor cycling after winning his fifth straight successive World MotoGP Championship. He won the 2011 Laureus Comeback of the Year Award and then was honoured with the Laureus Sporting Icon Award in 2022.

The fact that this Award is given by sporting legends makes it more special. I was in Barcelona in 2006 [Laureus Awards Ceremony] and I met a lot of my idols, so it was great. I have already taken two prizes from the Laureus Academy, so I have to thank everybody for this. This is great.

VALENTINO ROSSi

What Valentino Rossi says: “The fact that this Award is given by sporting legends makes it more special. I was in Barcelona in 2006 [Laureus Awards Ceremony] and I met a lot of my idols, so it was great. I have already taken two prizes from the Laureus Academy, so I have to thank everybody for this. This is great. I was lucky because I had a lot of great achievements in my career. The victories for sure are important, but I think the most important thing is that a lot of people know MotoGP and started to follow motor cycling because of me. This is the sport that I love and I’m very proud of this.”

WHAT LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS ACADEMY MEMBERS SAY:

Laureus World Sports Academy member Gicomo Agostini is the only man who has won more World Championship titles than Valentino. He says: “Valentino is certainly the greatest rider of his generation, and one of the greatest of all time. We are Italians and we both love motor cycling. I know him very well and admire what he has done. He has certainly encouraged a lot more young people to be interested in our sport thanks to his personality, but also thanks to his skilful and daring racing.

“We didn’t race against each other – that would have been interesting. I would love to have raced against him on similar bikes to see who would have come out on top. I did spend a fun time with him in 2009 when we rode around the TT course in the Isle of Man together. I am delighted that the Laureus Academy has decided to give Valentino this very special Award, the Sporting Icon Award. That’s what Valentino is, and what he will remain, a hero to many millions of sports fans.”