VALENCIA, Spain, 1 November 2004 — Italy’s world champion Valentino Rossi signed off his season in typical style winning his ninth race of the season at the Valencia MotoGP on his Yamaha here yesterday.
The Italian master rider finished ahead of compatriot Max Biaggi, riding a Honda, while Australia’s Troy Bayliss ended his term with Ducati on a high note by taking third.
Six-time world champion Rossi picked up the 68th victory of his career after wrapping up his fourth MotoGP title two weeks ago in Australia.
Rossi, 25, held off a late challenge from Biaggi to claim his third race victory in a row, and guarantee Yamaha the team title.
The Italian overtook pole-sitter Makoto Tamada on lap six and made his decisive move on lap 15 to hold his lead until the line. Japan’s Tamada finished in fifth position.
Rossi, who has another year left on his Yamaha deal, revealed yesterday that he will stay in the world championship for at least two more years.
“For sure next year I am staying with Yamaha, and I want another year in motorbikes,” said the Italian who wrapped up Yamaha’s first world title since 1992 after switching from Honda last year.
“I don’t know about my future, but after two more years I will decide.”
In the 250cc category, Spain’s Daniel Pedrosa wrapped up a hugely successful season with a win, ahead of fellow Honda riders Toni Elias of Spain and Japan’s Hiroshi Aoyama.
Nineteen-year-old Pedrosa, the youngest ever world champion in the category a year after winning the 125cc title, cruised to his seventh victory of the season despite trailing Argentine Sebastian Porto of Aprilia early in the race.
The Catalan made his move on lap 11 of 27 and quickly build up a two-second lead on Porto with the two riders 14sec ahead of the field before the Aprilia rider tumbled on the track, leaving the way clear for the world champion.
Spain’s Hector Barbera, riding an Aprilia, won the 125cc category.
Italian Honda rider Andrea Dovizioso, who claimed the world title at the Malaysian Grand Prix, came second at 0.761sec with Spain’s Alvaro Bautista, riding an Aprilia, third at 0.979.
