Moto GP world champ Rossi says successive failures were an inspired

Moto GP world champ Rossi says back-to-back losses in 2006 & '07 inspired him to glory

Motogp world champ Rossi says back-to-back losses in 2006 & '07 inspired him to glory

Valentino 'the Doctor' Rossi, who secured his ninth motorcycling world title here yesterday, deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Michael Schumacher.

Italy's Valentino Rossi (right) leads compatriot Marco Melandri as they approach a corner during the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix at the Sepang Circuit yesterday.

The 30-year-old joined the late Mike 'The Bike' Hailwood and his compatriot Carlo Ubbiali in terms of titles but still trails Angel Nieto, who won 13 titles in the lower categories of 125 and 250cc, and the legendary Italian Giacomo Agostini, who won 15 titles for MV Agusta.

Rossi was born to be a motorcyclist as his father Graziano was third in the 250cc 1979 world championship.

Rossi was always a precocious talent and having finished ninth in his first season on the 125cc class in 1996, winning one race, he then progressed to securing the world title in 1997.

The Italian known as the 'Doctor' then won the 250cc crown (1999) on his Aprilia. He decided the next year to take on the 500cc class and made an immediate impact with Honda, finishing second in his first season behind three-time world champ Kenny Roberts Junior, before capturing his first title at 500cc the following year.

Rossi went on to win three titles with Honda before moving to Yamaha. Here he took the 2004 title and became the first rider to land all the world titles in every discipline. However, it has not been always so easy for Rossi as he lost out on the title two years in a row, first to American Nicky Hayden (2006) and then to Aussie Casey Stoner (2007). But those losses were crucial. "It was very important that I learnt to lose during those two campaigns. It gave me strength," Rossi said.

As for his celebration, he said: "In Italy we say an old chicken makes good soup but can no longer lay eggs. I'm like the old chicken but I've made another egg," he joked.