Valentino Rossi (born on February 16, 1979) is an Italian former 500cc/MotoGP racer. He is a nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion, with seven of his titles won in the premier class. Rossi currently competes in in the GT World Challenge Europe series with TEAM WRT, and has tested a BMW M Hybrid V8 prototype at the FIA WEC Rookie Test in November of 2024.
500cc and MotoGP Career
Rossi entered the 500cc class in 2000 with Honda, and won the last ever 500cc title before taking the first two MotoGP championships on the legendary Honda RCV. The Italian made a shock move to Yamaha in 2004, winning four more titles in 2004, 2005, 2008, and 2009. After an underwhelming two-year stint with Ducati, Rossi returned to Yamaha where he raced until 2021. The Doctor wrapped up his storied career with a total of 89 premier class wins and 199 podiums from 372 starts, and is widely considered one of the best motorcycle racers of all time. Rossi was inducted in the MotoGP Hall of Fame at the end of his final season.
Formula 1 Tests with Scuderia Ferrari and Mercedes-AMG Petronas
The Italian is also no stranger to Formula One, having done several tests with Scuderia Ferrari and came excruciatingly close to making the switch to four wheels. Rossi’s most recent taste of Formula One was during a 2019 Monster Energy seat swap event with seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.
Breil
Breil was the first watch sponsor to appear alongside the Italian legend, appearing on Rossi’s Honda NSR500 in his first two seasons in the premier class. During that time, Breil released what appeared to be a Valentino Rossi edition timepiece on a yellow strap. At the moment, not much information can be found beyond a few low resolution ads.
Jaeger-LeCoultre
In 2007, Jaeger-LeCoultre entered a somewhat unlikely partnership with Rossi and released three limited edition Master Compressor watches. These timepieces featured Rossi’s “46” on the dial along with various yellow accents. On the W-Alarm models, certain city names either reflect or are replaced by circuits such as Mugello, Sepang, and Laguna Seca.
TW Steel and the VR46 Store
Rossi’s most recent collaboration was through his VR46 brand and TW Steel in 2014. In total, the VR46 line included two Pilot models (with two sizes each), a Tech model, and six “VR46 by TW Steel” models with small dial variations and different straps.
Valentino Rossi watches have since been unbranded fashion timepieces, available on his VR46 store.
IWC Schaffhausen Ambassador
While no special edition timepiece has been released (yet?), Rossi began working with IWC Schaffhausen in 2022. His first event was at that year’s Watches and Wonders exhibition in Geneva, where he and Lewis Hamilton participated in a Signature Talk titled “Being a Pilot”. Later in the same year, Rossi donated his personal IWC Big Pilot’s Watch in Ceratanium at the Laureus Charity Night event that took place in Zurich, Switzerland.
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17U3aagCtOA
https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/valentino-rossi-and-ferrari-in-f1-what-might-have-been-862154/3009695/
http://valentinorossi.fc2web.com/foto6.html
https://www.watchprosite.com/jaeger-lecoultre/a-new-extreme-watch-from-a-world-expanding-company-that-wants-to-wake-up-the-race–/2.336912.2154247/
https://www.watchprosite.com/jaeger-lecoultre/report-sihh-2007–jaeger-lecoultre/2.364397.2226682/
https://www.watchpro.com/tw-steel-partners-with-valentino-rossis-brand/
https://www.mcnews.com.au/vr46-by-tw-steel-watch/
https://timetransformed.com/2014/09/19/watches-for-nico-rosberg-lewis-hamilton-and-valentino-rossi/
https://press.iwc.com/iwc-signature-talk-being-a-pilot-with-lewis-hamilton-and-valentino-rossi/
https://press.iwc.com/iwc-and-valentino-rossi-present-a-special-big-pilots-watch-auction-at-the-upcoming-laureus-charity-night-en/