He makes more money than any of Italy's soccer stars and is more popular than Michael Schumacher, the Formula One great who drives for Ferrari.
Valentino Rossi's unparalleled skill on a motorcycle and vibrant personality have given his sport a big lift and drawn hordes of admirers on his way to five world championships.
This is a rider whose income, including from sponsors, is said to be US$17.8 million a year. He is also a rider who places a premium on showmanship, going so far as to take a midrace breather to ensure an exciting finish. "No fight, no fun," he says.
Rossi is Italy's "King," as the December issue of Rolling Stone's Italian version proclaimed next to a cover photo of the ruder dressed as Elvis.
"Instead of singing, he races," the article said.
A front-page editorial in the Rome newspaper La Repubblica in October, published the day after Rossi and Schumacher captured their latest titles, likened the motorcyclist to a ``vitellone'' in a Federico Fellini film, a character with plenty of faults but who always knows how to enjoy himself.
He's "a boy that comes from the provinces, that hates failures, that is always seen with lots of girls, but loves to recall `When I wasn't anybody,'" the editorial said.
As a child, Rossi roamed the garages and back lots of race tracks while his father competed as a motorcycling and rally driver. The younger Rossi isn't in the background any longer.
At the final race this season in Valencia, Spain, Rossi's Honda was covered with a psychedelic design in homage to the "Austin Powers" movies. Keeping with the theme, Rossi donned a wig on the victory podium in tribute to Mike Myers' character.
He dyed his hair green and gold at the Brazilian Grand Prix, dressed up as Robin Hood on the British GP podium, and brought along his own inflatable children's swimming pool to the Italian GP.
Spurning the traditional No. 1 reserved for the previous year's champion, Rossi has always competed with the No. 46, the number his father used. Stickers bearing Rossi's "46" adorn millions of motorcycles buzzing Italy's streets.
Rossi clearly likes to have a good time. For vacation, the 24-year-old heads to the Spanish party island of Ibiza. He skips official events that don't interest him, such as a reception this year with Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.
Rossi began racing in go-carts but switched to motorcycles when car racing became too expensive. His latest switch: The announcement that he was leaving his Repsol Honda team to drive with Yamaha the next two seasons shook the motorcycling world.
That raised a question: Why would Rossi leave the team with which he has won three straight titles for a manufacturer that has not had a championship since 1982?
"I always make the most difficult choice," Rossi says. "In 1999 I had a big offer to stay with Aprilia, but I left. I need a challenge."
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