The 2019 Rossi Mugello helmet: the palette for a pacey ‘artist’

No cartoon, no gimmicks, no wacky creativity: instead some Italian class. The annual ritual of the Valentino Rossi custom helmet ‘unveil’ that is now almost part of the Gran Premio D’Italia timetable, showed an elegant take on the Monster Energy Yamaha man’s 24th appearance around the hallowed curves of Mugello.

Memories of the ‘freaked out’ Rossi face, the donkey, the chicken, the football, the blues brothers, the fish, the turtle, the eye and many more graphics between Mugello and Misano – the two grand prix epicentres of Rossi’s two-decade career as a motorcycle racing icon - flashed up again as the 40 year old presented his ‘brushed’ take on the ‘il Tricolore’. The latest scheme from Rossi’s friend and famed designer Aldo Drudi is something that helmet brand AGV claim is a ‘new and bright livery that interprets the Italian flag motif like never before.”