Editing Valentino Rossi (section)

===Rally===
[[File:Wales Rally Gb 2008 Valentino Rossi.JPG|thumb|right|Rossi competing on the shakedown stage for the [[2008 Rally GB]]]]
Beyond his interest in F1, Rossi's strong passion is for rallying. In Rossi's youth one of his heroes was WRC Champion [[Colin McRae]]. Rally legend McRae taught Rossi the basics of driving a rally car.<ref name="scouk.net">{{cite web | url = http://www.scouk.net/colinmcrae/rip/| title = Colin Steele McRae MBE | access-date = 12 April 2008}}</ref> The two competed against each other at the 2005 Monza Rally Show, with McRae driving a Skoda Fabia WRC and Rossi winning in a Subaru Impreza WRC.<ref name="McRae v Rossi">{{cite web| url = http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2005/Rossi+beats+McRae+in+Monza+Rally+Showdown| title = Rossi beats McRae in Monza Rally Showdown| publisher = MotoGP.com| access-date = 28 August 2008| archive-date = 3 February 2012| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120203230409/http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2005/Rossi+beats+McRae+in+Monza+Rally+Showdown| url-status = dead}}</ref> His first official foray into rallying came in 2002 at WRC [[Rally Great Britain]] in a Peugeot 206 WRC, in which he crashed out on the second stage (first non-superspecial stage). Rossi had competed in the Monza Rally Show several times in a [[Toyota Corolla WRC]].

In October 2006 it was announced that Rossi would enter that year's [[Rally New Zealand]], a World Rally Championship (WRC) event, which was to run from 17 to 19 November.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/1115/rossiv.html |title=Rossi enters New Zealand rally|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|date=15 November 2006|access-date=24 July 2010}}</ref> He competed in a [[Subaru Impreza WRC]]04 finishing 11th out of 39. In 2006 Rossi also won the Monza Rally Show driving a [[Ford Focus RS WRC|Ford Focus RS WRC 04]]. He beat the 2005 winner Rinaldo Capello by 24 seconds, winning five of the seven stages on his way. He also managed to outpace former WRC champion [[Didier Auriol]] by seven seconds in the head-to-head Master Show final. Rossi also announced at the 2006 Monza Rally Show, that he would be entering the 2007 [[Rally of Great Britain]], however, he later opted out. At the 2007 Monza Rally, Rossi again took first place.

Rossi had been linked with a move to both Formula One and the World Rally Championship in 2007, having tested for Ferrari and competed in a number of rally events.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/57063 |title=WRC News: Rossi would consider Fiat WRC drive |website=Autosport.com |date= 6 March 2007|access-date=1 March 2010}}</ref>

But Rossi decided to remain in MotoGP; "I have a contract with Yamaha until 2008", said Rossi. "When that finishes then we will see. What I am sure about is that I will ride until I'm 31 or 32 at most. I will look for new stimuli in the next few seasons, but for now I am fully motivated."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713121746/http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/09072007/58/german-gp-rossi-quit-2010.html|url-status=dead |title=Yahoo UK & Ireland – Sports News &#124; Live Scores &#124; Results|archive-date=13 July 2007|website=uk.sports.yahoo.com}}</ref> Rossi signed a new two-year contract confirming he will be at Yamaha until 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/7515302.stm |title=Rossi signs new Yamaha contract|access-date= 19 July 2008 |publisher=BBC News | date=19 July 2008}}</ref>  He originally planned to use the Impreza WRC2008 during his participation in the [[Rally GB]] in December 2008,<ref>{{cite news|first=Scott|last=Coursey |title=Valentino Rossi to use Subaru World Rally Team S14 WRC on Wales Rally GB 2008|work=Rallybuzz|publisher=Stagetimes|date=3 October 2008|url=http://www.rallybuzz.com/valentino-rossi-subaru-rally-gb/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717144624/http://www.rallybuzz.com/valentino-rossi-subaru-rally-gb/|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 July 2011|access-date=22 September 2010}}</ref>  but decided to drive a Ford Focus RS WRC 07 instead.<ref>{{cite news | title = Rossi set to drive Ford in Rally GB | url = http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71660 | work = Autosport.com | date = 23 October 2008}}</ref> He finished the rally in 12th place, 13 minutes and 20.4 seconds behind eventual winner [[Sébastien Loeb]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Rally GB final timesheet | url = http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=405&season=2008&rally_id=GB | work = wrc.com | date = 7 December 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207040757/http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=405&season=2008&rally_id=GB | archive-date = 7 December 2008 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

In March 2010, the Italian minister [[Franco Frattini]] government awarded Rossi the first Winning Italy Award for the image he portrays of his country on an international level.<ref name="winningitaly">{{cite web|url=http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2010/03/13/rossi-distinguished-by-italian-government-with-award/152148 |title=Rossi distinguished by Italian government with award|date=12 March 2010|work=motogp.com|publisher=Dorna Sports|access-date=13 March 2010}}</ref>