Multiple champion Valentino Rossi on Aprilia, source: www.facebook.com/FIMLive
February 2024 – “There is none like Italy. Our country is the one which has earned the most points in the history of international motorcycle racing, specifically between 1913 and 2023. This is demonstrated by recent statistics released by the International Federation of Motorcycling which indicated the points earned yearly by all the nations in the World Championships. Summing the points earned over 110 years, Italy leads with 304,982 ahead of France (278,144), Great Britain (237,740), and Spain (207,543).
FIM-Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme - NATIONS RANKING BY YEAR:
www.fim-moto.com/en/fim/nations-ranking-by-year
The most victorious. Based on the infographic published by FIM, Italy’s first wins arrived in the early ’30s but it was the second post-war period and the ’50s that really marked a big step forward for our motorcycle racing. The biggest representative of this era was Carlo Ubbiali, winner of nine world titles in the 125 cc and 250 cc classes. This verve declined a bit in the ’60s and ’70s, although the most victorious Italian of the era was Giacomo Agostini – in the photo below taken from the FMI historical archive – with his 15 World Titles, but it was back with a vengeance in the late ’80s. From that time on, Italy has remained, as no other, one of the most victorious nations.
From the left, Carlo Ubbiali, Max Biaggi, Valentino Rossi.
The wins brought home by Valentino Rossi, Tony Cairoli, Kiara Fontanesi, Max Biaggi, and all the other riders who took international victories are unforgettable. Thanks to them and the launching of young pupils (including current stars such as Pecco Bagnaia in World Championship GP Motorcycle Racing, Andrea Adamo in cross, and Andrea Verona in Enduro), in recent years, Italy has consistently finished at the top along with Spain, Great Britain, and France. The battle with the Spaniards has become a constant one and in 2023, only a handful of points separated the two nations, with Spain finishing at 13,583 and Italy at 13,550. Over the long run, however, our country is, at the moment, unapproachable.
The Aprilia bikes ridden by the great champion Valentino Rossi: 9 world titles; photo gallery taken from:
www.motociclismo.it/tutte-le-moto-di-valentino-dalla-aprilia-rs-125-r-del-96-a-oggi-78216
“Culture, work, and passion.” “The statistics released by the International Federation of Motorcycling clearly show Italy’s role as an absolute protagonist in the history of our sport,” stated FMI President Giovanni Copioli. “I believe that this position is the result of a culture, of work, and of a passion deeply rooted in our country and which, above all, every party involved advances. I am talking about the riders, of course, but also the manufacturers, the teams, and the companies which, with their efforts, have allowed us and continue to allow us to be a point of reference.”
“FMI is an integral part of this system,” the President continues, “Our goal is to guarantee a future for Italian motorcycle racing worthy of its past and its present. With regard to the sport, the Pata Talenti Azzurri project is a concrete example and, at the same time, the most evident part of much work aimed at finding talent and developing all of Italian motorcycling.”
FEDERMOTO SOURCE:
www.federmoto.it/e-litalia-il-paese-che-ha-conquistato-il-maggior-numero-di-punti-nella-storia-del-motociclismo
FEDERMOTO HISTORICAL ARCHIVE:
archiviostorico.federmoto.it
FIM OFFICIAL VIDEO: THE FILM THAT CELEBRATES 120 YEARS OF MOTOCYCLISM 1904-2024.
www.facebook.com/FIMLive/videos/722562579674374
FIM-120 YEARS OF MOTORCYCLE RACING:
www.fim-moto.com/en
