7-Time MotoGP Champ Valentino Rossi Shows Off Freehand-Designed AGV Pista GP R Helmet
‘The Doctor’ will be easy to spot in 2019 as he vies for his first MotoGP title in a decade.
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The newest addition to the ever-growing collection of Valentino Rossi’s custom AGV helmets is the Winter Test 2019 livery. It made its debut in the first winter tests of the year leading up to the 2019 MotoGP season in which “The Doctor” will compete for his eighth championship. The 2019 season also marks a decade since the last time the 39-year-old racer won a MotoGP title.
"Valentino Rossi just headed down to the track for the first tests of the year with the brand-new Winter Test 2019 design, which will join the Doctor’s immense collection of AGV lids," said an AGV representative in an email to The Drive.
As always, Rossi’s lid is an AGV Pista GP R. Also, per usual, the helmet features a sun and moon theme, but it’s not as noticeable as it is an most of his other custom helmets. There’s a sun and moon drawn on either side of the helmet with thin blue lines and the rest of the design consists of explosions of bright, neon colors like yellow, green, fuschia, and orange.
The design was made by long-time Rossi collaborator Aldo Drudi who has been designing Vale’s helmets for more than 20 years. “We try to find new ideas every time, but it’s not always easy,” Rossi said of the Winter Test helmet. “For this year’s helmet, we had a hard time making up our minds, but at some point I looked at Aldo and I asked him to do something for me—to do what we used to do, pick up a paintbrush and draw the helmet freehand, like in years past. And that’s what we did! At first, Aldo was hesitant, but then he started to have a blast. When all was said and done, it came out great. Because they’re drawn by hand, each helmet is unique.”
The freehand design certainly stands out as Rossi’s helmets often do. Keep an eye out for Rossi when the MotoGP season begins on March 10.