Editing Valentino Rossi (section)

===250cc World Championship===
====1998 season====
After winning the 125cc title in 1997, Rossi moved up to the 250cc class the following year. In the 1998 season, the [[Aprilia RS250]] was reaching its pinnacle and had a team of riders in Rossi, Loris Capirossi and [[Tetsuya Harada]]. Rossi had to retire from the first two races in Japan and Malaysia. He then scored three consecutive second places in Spain, Italy, and France, but retired once more from the Madrid round.

He took his first 250cc victory at the [[1998 Dutch TT]], when he was more than 19 seconds ahead of second-placed [[Jürgen Fuchs (motorcyclist)|Jürgen Fuchs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rtvdrenthe.nl/nieuws/110624/De-negen-TT-zeges-van-Valentino-Rossi |title=De negen TT-zeges van Valentino Rossi|website=RTV Drenthe|date=26 June 2016|access-date=15 April 2019|archive-date=13 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181213144132/https://www.rtvdrenthe.nl/nieuws/110624/De-negen-TT-zeges-van-Valentino-Rossi|url-status=live}}</ref> He had to retire from the British Grand Prix but bounced back by achieving a podium place in Germany, finishing third.

In the Czech Republic, he crashed out of the race, but then enjoyed a series of victories from Imola to Argentina. He finished the season, as the championship runner-up with 201 points, just 23 points behind champion Loris Capirossi.

====1999 season====
[[File:Valentino Rossi 1999 Donington Park.jpg|thumb|Valentino Rossi in action at the [[1999 British motorcycle Grand Prix|1999 British Grand Prix]]. He would go on to win the race.]]
In the [[1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season|1999 season]], his second year in the 250cc class, Rossi became the sole rider of the official Aprilia Grand Prix Racing team, and dominated the championship. He btook pole position in Malaysia but finished fifth in the race. He gained further points in Japan and went on to win the third round in Spain. Rossi had his second pole position of the season in France, but retired from the race. He bounced back with back-to-back wins in Italy and Catalunya. He finished second at the Dutch round, narrowly losing out to Capirossi. He then won the next three races from the British to the Czech Grands Prix.

Rossi finished second in Imola, but was off the podium in eighth place at Valencia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/09/imolagprace/ |title=Criville Wins 500 GP at Imola; Capirossi First in 250 GP|date=5 September 1999|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082525/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/09/imolagprace/|url-status=live}}</ref> He finished the season with three more wins: one in Australia, one in South Africa, and one in Rio de Janeiro.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/phillipgpfin/ |title=Okada Wins 500 GP Race at Phillip Island, Australia; Rossi Takes 250 GP|date=3 October 1999|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082525/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/phillipgpfin/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/soagpfin/ |title=Biaggi (500cc) and Rossi (250cc) Win at South African GP|date=10 October 1999|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=15 April 2019|archive-date=15 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415210832/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/soagpfin/|url-status=live}}</ref> After that, he finished third in Argentina despite starting in pole position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/argengpfin/ |title=Roberts Wins 500 GP at Buenos Aires; 250 Race Goes to Jacque|date=31 October 1999|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082523/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/argengpfin/|url-status=live}}</ref> He clinched the title in Rio de Janeiro and finished the season with 309 points, his first 250cc world championship title and his second title overall.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/riogpfin/ |title=Abe Wins Rio 500 GP, While Criville Takes Championship; Rossi Both Race Winner and Champion in 250's|date=24 October 1999|website=Motorcycledaily.com|access-date=16 April 2019|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082523/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/1999/10/riogpfin/|url-status=live}}</ref>