Valentino Rossi at 40: The best stats on the MotoGP icon

MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi celebrates his 40th birthday on Saturday.

Nine-time world champion Rossi will begin his 24th season in motorcycle racing in Qatar next month and will comfortably be the oldest man on the grid.

The Movistar Yamaha rider has a contract that will keep him racing until the end of the 2020 campaign, but he has already achieved legendary status in motorsport.

To celebrate Rossi's big day, we look at some of the best statistics from his illustrious career.

2 - Only Giacomo Agostini (15) and Angel Nieto (13) have won more world titles across all levels than Rossi (9 - level with Mike Hailwood and Carlo Ubbiali).

115 - Rossi is just seven race wins away from joining Agostini (122) at the top of the all-time list for grand prix victories across all competitions.

73 - Rossi has already surpassed Agostini in terms of career podiums, with his tally of 232 far outstripping his closest rival and fellow Italian's haul of 159. 

84 per cent - Of Rossi's 232 podiums, 196 have come in the top two levels (MotoGP and 500cc).

3 - The only seasons Rossi has failed to win a single grand prix in are 2011, 2012 and 2018.

20 - A total of 20 years, 10 months and seven days separate Rossi's first win at any level (the 1996 Czech Republic Grand Prix) and his latest (the 2017 Dutch TT). No rider has a greater gap between their maiden and last triumphs.

23 - Rossi is the rider with the most consecutive podium finishes in the top category, having finished in the top three from the 2002 Portuguese Grand Prix to the 2004 South African Grand Prix.

10 - Barcelona-Catalunya and the TT Circuit Assen are Rossi's most successful tracks. He has claimed one more win at both than at his home race in Mugello (9).

7 - Rossi's win at the 2017 Dutch TT made him the seventh-oldest rider (38 years, 129 days) in history to win a grand prix in the main championship.