History of Marco Melandri
Last year was Marco's debut season in the MotoGP class, where he partnered Carlos Checa in the Yamaha factory team. He finished 15th in the championship and achieved some promising results and several front row starts. Unfortunately injuries at the start and end of the year marred his season, but he is now returned to full fitness following a shoulder operation at the end of October 2003. This year he will partner Norick Abe in the Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 Team, Yamaha's French satellite team.
Marco started racing minibikes at eight years of age, having spent much of his youth at racing circuits watching his father compete in the Italian championship. He quickly progressed through the ranks making his 125cc Grand Prix debut shortly after his 15th birthday. He holds the distinction of being the youngest ever Grand Prix winner, a record he set when he won the 125cc race at the Assen TT in 1998, aged 15 years and 324 days.
In 2002, aged just 20 years and 74 days, Melandri became the youngest ever 250cc world champion winning nine of the sixteen races along the way.
Although born and raised in Ravenna, Marco spends most of his time between races at home in Derby, United Kingdom, where he trains with friends on his motocross bikes.
- Date of birth - 07.08.1982
- Place of birth - Raverna, Italy
- Nationality - Italian
- Residence - Derby, England
- Height - 166 cm
- Weight - 58 kg
- Marital status - Single
- Hobbies - Music, movies, cars and go-karting
- Team - Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 Team
- Bike - YZR-M1
- Grand Prix contested in total - 89, (34 x 125cc) (42 x 250cc) (13 x MotoGP)
- First Grand Prix - 1997
- First race - 1996
- Victories in total - 17, (10 x 250cc) (7 x 125cc)
- First victory - 1998
- Podiums - 42, (17 x 125cc)(25 x 250cc)
- First podium - 1998
- Pole positions - 8
- First pole - 1998
- World championship wins in total - 1, (1 x GP250)
- 2004 - Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3 Team, MotoGP World Championship
- 2003 - 15th, MotoGP World Championship
- 2002 - 250 GP WORLD CHAMPION
- 2001 - 3rd, 250 MotoGP World Championship
- 2000 - 5th, 250 GP World Championship
- 1999 - 2nd, 125 GP World Championship
- 1998 - 3rd, 125 GP World Championship
- 1997 - 125 GP debut
- 1996 - 125 Cup Italy
This information was kindly provided by www.yamaha-racing.com
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