Michele Rinaldi is an Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 former Grand Prix motocross

Motocross

Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...

 world champion and team manager.

Rinaldi began competing in the 125cc motocross world championships in 1978, finishing in the top three for four consecutive years between 1980 and 1983, first for the Gilera

Gilera

Gilera is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in Arcore in 1909 by Giuseppe Gilera. In 1969 the company was purchased by Piaggio, which now holds six marques and is the world's fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer.-History:...

 team, then for the Suzuki

Suzuki

is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...

 team. In 1984, he finally captured the 125 title, becoming the first Italian to win a motocross world championship. He moved up to the 250 class with his best result being a second place in the 1986 world championship behind Jacky Martens

Jacky Martens

Jacky Martens is a former professional motocross rider and F.I.M. 500cc Motocross World Champion.-Racing career:...

. He retired in 1987 after having competed in the Paris to Dakar

Dakar Rally

The Dakar Rally is an annual rally raid type of off-road automobile race, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation...

 rally.

When his riding career ended he became a successful motocross team manager for the Suzuki and Yamaha

Yamaha Motor Company

, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...

 factory racing teams. As a team manager, he guided Bobby Moore

Bobby Moore (motorcyclist)

Bobby Moore is an American former Grand Prix motocross world champion.In 1985, Moore won the A.M.A. 125cc Western Supercross title. He moved on to the F.I.M. world championships, finishing second to Donny Schmit in the 1990 125cc championship. In 1992, he again finished second to Schmit, this time...

, Alessandro Puzar

Alessandro Puzar

Alessandro Puzar is an Italian former two-time Grand Prix motocross world champion.Puzar began his motocross Grand Prix career in 1988 riding a KTM. He was the 1990 F.I.M. world champion in the 250cc class on a Suzuki. In 1995 he won the 125cc motocross world championship on a Honda...

, Andrea Bartolini

Andrea Bartolini

Andrea Bartolini is an Italian former Grand Prix motocross world champion.He was the 1999 F.I.M. world champion in the 500cc class on a Yamaha team run by Michele Rinaldi. Bartolini was a member of the winning Italian teams in the 1999 and 2002 Motocross des Nations...

, Stefan Everts

Stefan Everts

Stefan Everts is a motocross racer from Belgium, who retired in 2006 after securing his record 10th World Title. He also holds several other motocross records....

 and David Philippaerts

David Philippaerts

David Philippaerts is an Italian Grand Prix motocross world champion of Italian and Belgian descent.He was the 2008 F.I.M. world champion in the MX-1GP class riding for a Yamaha team run by former motocross world champion Michele Rinaldi.- References :...

to world championships.

External links

• Rinaldi Yamaha Racing Team web site