Valentino Rossi to attend 2009 Isle of Man TT Races Rossi to lap the course with Giacomo Agostini before Dainese Superbike TT Race Eight-time MotoGP world champion, Valentino Rossi, has confirmed today that he will make his first visit to the world-famous Isle of Man TT Races in June this year. The 30-year-old winner of 97 Grands Prix will visit the Island on Saturday 6th June with fellow Italian legend Giacomo Agostini. Agostini who raced on the famous Mountain Course between 1966 and 1972, winning 10 TT races, which then held world championship status will accompany Rossi on a lap of the course prior to the Dainese Superbike race. The two most successful motorcycle racers of all time will ride behind the course car on 2009 Yamaha R1’s, flanked by some of the famous Travelling Marshalls, who will be riding similar machines. Commenting on the visit Rossi said: “I am fascinated by all sort of motorsport and the Isle of Man is a destination and a race I have wanted to experience for a long time. The MotoGP schedule is very busy around this time of year, but this year the TT has moved dates a little and there is a week gap between Mugello and Catalunya, so now at last we have the opportunity to see this famous event! I have seen many famous images from the TT races, and of course heard much about it from Giacomo and Mr Dainese who enjoyed the experience so much last year.” Lino Dainese added: “This is the second year of being the Official Safety Partner to the Isle of Man TT Races and is a very big challenge for our company: we want to give a strong signal to our commitment of safety. We continue with our research and development programme of the D-air system, and at the TT Races we will cooperate again with our rider Guy Martin who gave such valuable feedback at last years event. Our research will continue also at Grand Prix circuits this year with Valentino Rossi’s support too. We are delighted he can be with us at the TT this year to highlight the general commitment of all our pilots, together with D-tec (Dainese Technology Center) to make a step forward in Motorbike protection.” Dainese renewed its current partnership with the Isle of Man TT races in April and will be the Official Safety Partner for the second successive year. The company’s founder and CEO Mr Lino Dainese will accompany Rossi and Agostini on this historic visit. After the Dainese Superbike race there will be a press conference involving Mr Lino Dainese, Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi outlining Dainese’s future commitments to further improving safety for people who love active sports before the VIP group leave to return to Italy. Rossi’s appearance has been made possible because of his involvement with Dainese. Yamaha and MCN have also been involved in setting up the trip, working with the Isle of Man Government. Hon Martyn Quayle MHK, Minister for Tourism and Leisure, commented: “The TT has a long history with Italy and Italian riders including Carlo Ubbiali, Tarquinio Provini and of course Giacomo Agostini. It is fantastic that another one of the ultimate motorcycling champions will be visiting the island this year and I’m sure that everyone will give him a fantastic reception along with Giacamo Agostini. We are incredibly grateful to our partners Yamaha and particularly Dainese for making this trip happen. It represents and excellent opportunity to promote the Isle of Man and the TT Races to a global audience” More, from a press release issued by Dainese: Eight-time MotoGP world champion, Valentino Rossi, has confirmed today that he will make his first visit to the world-famous Isle of Man TT races in June this year with Dainese, who recently renewed their current partnership with the Isle of Man TT races as Official Safety Partner for the second successive year. The company’s founder and CEO Mr Lino Dainese will accompany Rossi and Italian legend Giacomo Agostini on this historic visit. The Doctor of Tavullia, winner of 97 Grands Prix will attend the Dainese Superbike Race on Saturday 6th June with Agostini, who raced on the famous Mountain Course between 1966 and 1972, winning 10 TT races which then held world championship status. Rossi will complete a memorable parade lap of the 37.73 mile (60.7 km) circuit before the start of the six-lap Dainese Superbike race. He will ride behind the course car on a 2009 Yamaha R1, flanked by eight of the famous Travelling Marshalls, who will be riding similar machines. “I am fascinated by all sort of motorsport and the Isle of Man is a destination and a race I have wanted to experience for a long time,” commented Rossi. “Always the MotoGP schedule is very busy around this time of year, but this year the TT has moved dates a little and there is a week gap between Mugello and Catalunya, so now at last we have the opportunity!” “I have seen many famous images from the TT races,” he added, “and of course heard much about it from Giacomo and Mr Dainese who enjoyed the experience so much last year.” After the Dainese Superbike racethere will be a press conference involving Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini and TT Dainese pilot Guy Martin outlining Dainese’s future commitments to further improving safety for people who love active sports. “This is the second year of being the Official Safety Partner to the Isle of Man TT races and is a very big challenge for our company: we want to give a strong signal to our commitment of safety commented Mr. Dainese We continue with our research and development programme of the D-air system, and at the TT races we will cooperate again with our rider Guy Martin who gave such valuable feedback at last years event. Our research will continue also at Grand Prix circuits this year with Valentino Rossi’s support too. We are delighted he can be with us at the TT this year to highlight the general committment of all our pilots, together with D-tec® (Dainese Technology Center) to make a step forward in Motorbike protection.” Dainese have pioneered safety for over 35 years and many of the most stand-out advances in rider protection back protector knee sliders have all been developed while working with some of the best riders in the world. Champions like Sheene, Spencer, Biaggi, Lawson, Bayliss and Lucchinelli have all had a vital input into making Dainese the product it is today. Dainese ‘Head-to-toe protection for people who engage in dynamic sports’ this is reason for which Dainese was founded in 1972 by its current President, Lino Dainese, and this has been the company mission from inception to the present day, in all the new values that make Dainese a dynamic company in continual movement.