46 years ago, a legend was born. On February 16, 1979, in Urbino, a man and professional rider was born, who changed the world of motorcycle racing in several ways, steering it out of an era very distant from the modern times we’re all familiar with. Following in his father’s footsteps, Valentino Rossi became passionate about speed at a very young age, rapidly learning to master both two- and four-wheel driving by practicing on mini motos and small go-karts. From there to racing and the first victories was only a short step.
Today marks the birthday of a legend, and it’s a special birthday because it’s his 46th – the same number that Valentino flaunted on the motorcycle throughout his entire professional career – from 1996, the year of his debut, to 2021, his last season. Even when he had the right to claim the number 1, distinctive of World Champions, Valentino chose to keep the number 46, which his dad Graziano also adopted when he competed in the World Championship.
Valentino was perhaps the first professional rider to transform his own racing number into an emblem; after him, many followed suit. This is why the number 46 has acquired special meaning, in some cases even becoming synonymous with his name. Valentino’s 46th birthday has therefore a special significance that we decided to celebrate by bringing back some of his most significant suit-helmet combinations.
Yet, alongside these, there’s also a unique edition of our current, most sophisticated racing gear – the Pista GP RR AGV helmet and the Demone GP D-air® 3x Dainese suit, featuring the Soleluna Vale46 Anniversario graphics. A combination never seen before, which pairs bright yellow and black colors with carbon and gold leaf to celebrate Valentino’s 46th birthday. Created for the occasion, as a gift to Valentino, and made in a limited series of 46 pieces.
Happy birthday Vale!
1996, as anticipated, was the year of Rossi's World Championship debut. Valentino was 17 years old and started with a 125 cc. He immediately played a starring role, coming sixth in the first race and, in the second half of the season, achieving his first podium and his first historic victory in Brno, Czech Republic. Ninth at the end of the year, Valentino became World Champion at the end of the following season.
Valentino Rossi's 1996 suit was a traditional one-piece leather suit – the D-air® airbag and metal protectors were a long way off. His helmet, an AGV one of course, was a Q3 Pro model, an evolution of the Q3 which in turn had been an evolution of the Quasar model developed with Wayne Rainey.
In 1999, Valentino was 20 years old and already soaring toward his second World Championship title. The Imola City Grand Prix was held on Sunday, September 5, 1999, and Rossi wore special graphics on the track for what was almost a home competition, as Imola is only a few dozen miles from his hometown Tavullia. It was a Tricolore color scheme featured on helmet, suit and his entire Aprilia 250. At the end of the race, Valentino came second.
The 1999 suit is not much different from the 1996 suit, but Valentino Rossi's AGV helmet was a new model – the X-Vent, in use from 1998 to 2002. Its shell was made of composite fiber, carbon and fiberglass, and differed from the previous model in its top air vent and ventilation channels.
In 2001, Valentino was a seasoned rider, able to put behind him the youthful mistakes that marked his debut in the premier class the previous year. He therefore dominated the 2001 season, ending with over 100 points ahead of second place and 11 wins out of 16 races.
The helmet-suit combination worn by Rossi on the track that year is one of the most iconic – fluorescent yellow to match the motorcycle – this was supported by a team independent from the parent company, which allowed riders to choose their own colors, though with the official sponsors and technical equipment.
The year 2005, along with the two-year period 2002-2003, was one of the seasons most distinctly dominated by the rider from Le Marche. One withdrawal in Japan, and then only podium finishes. The second racer in the ranking was almost 150 lengths behind.
Valentino Rossi's 2005 racing attire had significantly evolved from that of a few years earlier. The suit featured metal protectors on shoulders, elbows and knees, while the helmet was the more modern AGV Ti-Tech, with titanium air vents. 2005 was also the year Yamaha celebrated its 50th anniversary. They did so at Laguna Seca and Valencia, with vintage colorways – Motorcycles and riders were yellow and black in the U.S., white and red in Spain.
The 2015 season was the last season that saw a 36-year-old Valentino fighting for the title. It didn’t end as hoped, but it sealed two decades with Rossi as the absolute star, who came in as a boy and grew up to become a seasoned racer, always at the highest level. Without a doubt, one of the longest-lived professional riders ever.
Compared to the attire we’ve just seen, the 2015 one was totally revolutionary. Valentino's race helmet was the hyper-sophisticated AGV Pista GP, a head-safety device that struck a perfect balance between protection, aerodynamic performance, width of field of vision and weight. The suit integrated a D-air® airbag that was already cutting-edge, introduced in competitions in 2007.
We reach the end of this journey with the special helmet and suit created on the occasion of Valentino Rossi's 46th birthday. Equipment that will never star in a World Championship GP, yet no less significant. The helmet is an AGV Pista GP RR, the ultimate evolution of the Pista GP design – a combination of technology and noble materials such as carbon fiber and titanium, featuring unprecedented graphics.
The suit dedicated to Valentino Rossi's 46th birthday is a Demone GP D-air® 3x, again one of the most cutting-edge garments ever designed by Dainese. The Demon GP D-air® 3x integrates a state-of-the-art triple-activated D-air® Racing airbag system, metal protectors on shoulders, elbows and knees, and a knee slider with RSS system.
However, the celebratory Soleluna Vale46 Anniversario suit and helmet won’t be exclusive to the rider from Tavullia – unsuitable for road and track riding, they’ll be made and sold in a very limited series, each piece numbered and signed by Valentino Rossi. How many? 46, of course.
The suit with number 01/46 and featuring even more exclusive added details will be auctioned off to support a charitable cause chosen by Dainese and Valentino.
