Editing Valentino Rossi (section)

=====2001=====
[[File:Honda NSR500 2001.jpg|thumb|right|[[Honda NSR500]] used by Rossi in the {{MGP|2001}} season]]
Rossi dominated his second season in the 500cc class, scoring 11 wins and only finishing off the podium three times. He started the year off with a victory in [[2001 Japanese motorcycle Grand Prix|Japan]] after battling with Max Biaggi. He then achieved back-to-back poles and race wins in the South African and Spanish rounds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/04/08april01finalsuzukagp/ |title=Rossi (500) and Katoh (250) Take Suzuka GP|date=8 April 2001|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082526/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/04/08april01finalsuzukagp/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/04/22april01finalsouthafricagp/ |title=Rossi (500) and Katoh (250) Take South African GP|date=22 April 2001|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082524/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/04/22april01finalsouthafricagp/|url-status=live}}</ref> He finished the French race in third place but crashed out of the Italian round whilst leading the wet race after taking another pole on Saturday.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/05/20may01finalfrancegp/ |title=Biaggi (500) and Katoh (250) Victorious in French GP|date=20 May 2001|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082540/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/05/20may01finalfrancegp/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/03june01mugello/ |title=Barros (500) and Harada (250) Win Wet Mugello GP|date=3 June 2001|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082543/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/03june01mugello/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/02june01mugellogpqualifying/ |title=Rossi (500) and Harada (250) on Pole for Mugello GP|date=2 June 2001|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082600/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/02june01mugellogpqualifying/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Rossi won from pole position at the following race in Catalunya, despite making a poor start and dropping to 15th place at the end of the first lap.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/17june01catalunyagp/ |title=Rossi (500) and Katoh (250) Victorious in Catalunya GP|date=17 June 2001|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082542/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2001/06/17june01catalunyagp/|url-status=live}}</ref> He scored a second place after narrowly losing out on the race victory to Biaggi in the Dutch round. He followed this up with another win: this time the [[British Grand Prix|British GP]].

Rossi finished seventh in [[2001 German motorcycle Grand Prix|Germany]] but then took back-to-back wins in the [[2001 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix|Czech Republic]] (gaining a 29-point advantage over Biaggi) and [[2001 Portuguese motorcycle Grand Prix|Portugal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/69865/1/rossi-to-sacrifice-gps-for-glory |title=Rossi to sacrifice GP's for glory?|date=5 September 2001|website=Crash|access-date=19 October 2019|archive-date=19 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019125809/https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/69865/1/rossi-to-sacrifice-gps-for-glory|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/69906/1/rossi-rules-in-estoril-biaggi-crashes-again |title=Rossi rules in Estoril – Biaggi crashes again|date=9 September 2001|website=Crash|access-date=21 August 2020|archive-date=29 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729124401/https://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/69906/1/rossi-rules-in-estoril-biaggi-crashes-again|url-status=live}}</ref> He had a disappointing result in the [[2001 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix|Valencian Community]] round where he finished in 11th place, but then scored a string of race wins from the Pacific to the Rio rounds.

Rossi won his first 500cc title with 325 points and third title overall,<ref>{{cite web|work=Crash.net|publisher=Crash Media Group|url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/70088/1/valentino-rossi-500cc-world-champion.html |title=Valentino Rossi: 500cc World Champion|date=14 October 2001|access-date=15 July 2015|archive-date=16 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716110146/http://www.crash.net/motogp/race-report/70088/1/valentino-rossi-500cc-world-champion.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 106 points ahead of Biaggi, who had been Rossi's main rival during the season. During the season, Rossi also teamed up with American rider [[Colin Edwards]] for the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race aboard a [[Honda RC51|Honda VTR1000SPW]], becoming the first Italian rider to win the race. The pair won the race despite Rossi's lack of experience racing [[superbike racing|superbikes]].