Valentino Rossi Retires with the Most Starts in the 500cc/MotoGP Class
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Valentino Rossi officially ended his motorcycle racing career after finishing 10th in the Valencia GP on Sunday (14/11). This final race also saw Rossi retire with the most race starts, boasting 372 starts in the premier 500cc/MotoGP class.
Alex Barros is second with 246 starts. The Brazilian racer competed in the premier class from 1990-2005 and 2007. Andrea Dovizioso, still an active racer, is third with 234 starts. Dovizioso joined the same team as Rossi, Petronas SRT Yamaha, in the middle of the 2021 season. That contract expires at the end of 2022.
Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa are tied for fourth place with 218 starts each. Pedrosa added one start this season racing in the Styrian GP, Austria.
Next is Aleix Espargaro, another active racer on this list. The Aprilia rider has accumulated 197 starts in his premier class career to date.
The premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing was originally named 500cc until 2002. That year, the premier class was renamed MotoGP and the maximum engine capacity was changed to 990cc.
"Disclosure: This is an AI-generated translation of the original article. We strive for accuracy, but please note that automated translations may contain errors or slight inconsistencies."
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