--- title: "Valentino Rossi Has Now Raced the Equivalent of the Earth’s Circumference" description: "The Italian MotoGP world champion has ridden a total of 24,901.45 miles since his racing debut in 1996." date: "2018-05-07" modified: "2018-05-07" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/20682/valentino-rossi-has-now-raced-the-equivalent-of-the-earths-circumference" categories: - "News" - "Racing" tags: - "Italian" - "MotoGP" - "motorcycle racing" - "racing" - "Racing News" - "Valentino Rossi" - "yamaha" --- # Valentino Rossi Has Now Raced the Equivalent of the Earth’s Circumference ![]() *\www.thedrive.com\* Yamaha MotoGP rider [Valentino Rossi]() has ridden enough miles during his 23-season-long racing career to have covered the circumference of planet Earth at the equator. The Italian has broken a lot of records since he first got behind the handlebars of a MotoGP bike at the Grand Prix of Malaysia in 1996, but having logged 24,901.45 miles during the course of 22 years is a first for any [premier-class racer](), and it will most likely be a very long time until someone eclipses such an impressive feat. ![message-editor%2F1525708910528-gettyimages-470658146.jpg]() *Rossi '97, *GETTY** ![message-editor%2F1525708917536-gettyimages-141564919.jpg]() *Rossi '97, *GETTY** "The Doctor," as he's lovingly called by his fans, traversed the last 39.5 miles he needed to complete the distance during this past weekend's [MotoGP Grand Prix of Spain](). Rossi started the race with 24,861.68 miles under his belt, which means that he only needed 15 of the 25 laps that were contested to make motorcycle racing history. According to a statement released by the racing series, Rossi's grand total includes the mileage he logged in during his brief time in the 125, 250, and 500 World Championships on his way to the pinnacle of the sport, MotoGP. ![message-editor%2F1525708956764-gettyimages-942771254.jpg]() *GETTY* ![message-editor%2F1525708963235-gettyimages-954958912.jpg]() *GETTY* Following his fifth-place finish in Spain, Rossi's stats are the following: - 23 racing seasons - 8,730 racing laps - 369 Grand Prix - 115 racing victories - 64 pole positions - Nine world championships - One lap around the world Despite being the oldest rider in the paddock at 39 years of age, Rossi doesn't show any signs of slowing down. In fact, he recently renewed his contract with Yamaha for two years, meaning the Italian will be in MotoGP until [the end of the 2020 racing season](). ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()