What If I Had Never Tried It: Valentino Rossi, the Autobiography - Tapa blanda

Arguably the world’s all-time greatest motorcycle road racing champion, Valentino Rossi is without a doubt the best--and the best-loved--in modern times. In What If I Had Never Tried It he tells his remarkable story for the first time. And as might be expected, the story he tells is fast-paced, full of surprises, action-packed, and always entertaining.

The son of 1970s racer Graziano Rossi (whose number, 46, he wears when racing), Valentino was born in Urbino, Italy in 1979. Here he relates how he started racing as a teenager, first with karts and minimotos (minibikes). He then traces his rapid and seemingly inexorable progress--from the 125 class to the 250 class to the 500s and finally on to 990 cc four-stroke, now known as MotoGP--to become a seven-time World Champion in Grand Prix racing by the time he was twenty-six. As he describes starting his career as a clownish upstart, only to emerge as “The Doctor” so famed for his precision, Rossi’s crowd-pleasing character comes through in abundance. One moment a charismatic jokester, the next an insightful analyst, he is finally the single-minded, focused, strategic racer with split-second skills the rest of us can only dream of, giving us a glimpse of how one man has forever changed the face of motorcycle road racing.

As a child, Valentino Rossi dreamt of winning the world championship. He has achieved that dream—and far more: Rossi has won eight world championship titles—including six in the top class, MotoGP. Along the way, he has broken dozens of records, brought his sport unprecedented popularity, and earned himself a fanatical worldwide following.

Told in his own inimitable way, this is the story of The Doctor, arguably the greatest motorcycle road racer of all time. He grew up in the Italian town of Tavullia, a mischievous boy with a love for two-wheeled vehicles. By age 23, he was a four-time world champion, with titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc, and MotoGP classes. Along the way, he earned millions of fans—and a few enemies—with his brilliant, aggressive, and adaptable riding style.

It’s all here, in Rossi’s own words: the antics of his youth, the titles, the rivalries with Max Biaggi, Sete Gibernau, and others, as well as his acrimonious split with the all-powerful Honda factory team in 2003. The genius of MotoGP also shares his eclectic private life—his friends, his superstitions, his relationships, and his unusual habits. What If I Had Never Tried It reveals the human being behind the icon.