Valentino Rossi's Hilarious Helmet Designs

Valentino Rossi is not just a living legend of motorbike racing, but he also an entertainer. When he won a MotoGP series you saw him did wheelie, stand in his bike, or take Italian flag from the crowds. There is also one more aspect that makes him fun to watch, his helmet that so creatively designed.



Now, let's check the story behind every Rossi's helmet design.


In 1997, when he still competed in 125cc class, Rossi mostly ran with his helmet design from 1996 by Aldo Drudi that created Sun and Moon motif. It would be in the later years that Rossi would choose to vary his helmet designs multiple times in a single season.




Valentino Rossi used a livery helmet designs at the Assen MotoGP in 2007 that inspired by Fiat’s famous 500 and celebrated the forthcoming re-launch of the iconic car on 4th July (a few days after the Assen MotoGP), exactly 50 years after it was first launched in 1957.

The design of Rossi’s helmet by Aldo Drudi was a tribute to the art and the icons of he time - namely Elvis Presely and Rits Pavone. Aldo Drudi made sure to paint a vinyl record on the top of Rossi’s helmet, and a graphic on the back that pictured Valentino with a guitar and a 1950’s haircut and had text that read: “Valentino and the Chihuahua’s, Live at Assen”




In 2007 Mugello circuit, Rossi wore AGV helmet design featured a big red heart positioned in top centre of the helmet, so when his head was down, the crowd would have the heart design facing them. This heart has some meaning in it; Rossi had been getting a hard time from the Italian press after losing his title to Nicky Hayden in 2006, and was also being criticised for not winning enough races in 2007 to mount a serious challenge and the heart was intended as a thank you gesture to his passionate fans for not doubting him, and as a riposte to the journalists in the press who had questioned whether his heart was still in the competition.



At the 2008 MotoGP pre-season test in Jerez, Rossi wore a special celebratory helmet, created to look like a birthday cake complete with icing and candles, it has the words ‘Happy Birthday Vale’ written across the top of the helmet.

In 2008 Catalunya GP, Rossi's AGV helmet sporting a design that was created to make his helmet look like a football. This due to his support to the Italian Football Team who competed in the 2008 UEFA European Championships, the day following the Catalunya MotoGP.

Below is the most hilarious helmet of Valentino Rossi. He wore for his home race at the Mugello round of the 2008 MotoGP season. Every year Rossi has a special helmet designed for the Mugello race, this time he wore arguably his most famous Aldo Drudi designed helmet to date - the AGV GP-Tech ‘Double Take’ or ‘My Face’ helmet.

This AGV helmet features a picture of his own face, displaying a highly excited or shocked expression, which Rossi believes will give fans a sense of how it feels to ride the Yamaha M1 around the Mugello circuit at speeds in excess of 320 kh/h. Rossi’s face is on the top, so when he puts his head down, the face comes into full view.




The AGV Celebr-8 helmet was designed and presented to Valentino Rossi in 2008 to celebrate his 8th World Championship. He also used this helmet in some of 2009 races, and because Rossi signed a deal with Monster Energy drinks at that year, it was the first appearance of ‘Monster Claw’ logo.




Valentino Rossi unveiled a new helmet design for his home GP of in September 2009. The specially designed helmet featured the face of the donkey from the film ‘MisanoShrek’ positioned on the top of his helmet. Rossi had the new helmet design created as an attempt to poke fun at himself for crashing out of the Indianapolis MotoGP the week before, throwing away valuable points from his championship lead.




Rossi secured his 9th World Championship title with 1 race remaining by taking 3rd place in a wet Malaysian GP in October 2009. Rossi celebrated with members of his fan club, by dressing up in a celebratory T-Shirt and helmet with the number 9 on and the words “Old Hen Makes Good Broth”.

Rossi then had his photo taken with a live chicken and nine eggs, before putting on the new helmet and riding off to celebrate. The significance of the chicken was a joke at Rossi’s age and is based on “Gallina Vecchia!” an Italian saying that states that the old chicken makes good soup, but it’s no use for laying eggs. Despite being 30, Rossi had laid yet another egg by claiming his 9th World Title

Source: http://rossihelmets.com