Valencia Ducati Test (Valentino Rossi ‘?’ Helmet)
Location: Valencia, MotoGP Test
Date: Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th November, 2010
Test position: Day 1 = 8th / Day 2 = 15th
The 2010 MotoGP season closed in Valencia with Valentino Rossi taking 3rd place in the race, and his team-mate Jorge Lorenzo taking victory. The race was Valentino Rossi’s final race as a factory Yamaha rider, and 48 hours after the race Rossi was back out on the track as a Ducati rider.
The MotoGP test at Valencia was highly anticipated, as it would mark Valentino Rossi’s first outing on the factory Ducati. Rossi’s debut on the Ducati was eventually delayed by a few hours as poor weather and a wet track meant that all riders were forced to wait a couple of hours after the session officially opened before taking to the track.
Rossi’s testing times caused many debates in the press, especially after the second day when he finished in 15th on the timesheets with other satellite Ducati’s ahead of him.
Valentino Rossi’s two days spent testing the Ducati saw him in relatively plain livery as technically he was still contracted to Yamaha.
The helmet design that Rossi wore was a shocking looking black and yellow variation on the ‘sun and moon’ theme. The right side of the helmet was dominated by a fluorescent yellow sun, while the left side featured a fluorescent yellow moon. The number ’46′ was position at the rear of the helmet.
The helmet design also featured a question mark, ‘?’, in the top center of the helmet, above the visor. This was added to signify that it was a new start for Rossi and nobody, including himself, would know how he would get on with the Ducati or what the coming season would hold.
Image Gallery of the Valencia Ducati Test ‘?’ Helmet:
