With 11 race wins, including five in a row, Valentino Rossi claimed his seventh world title at the Malaysian GP with four races left to run. He became not only a champion, but a recordbreaker - equalling Mike Hailwood’s record of 76 Grand Prix wins and firmly establishing his position in bikesport history as a modern legend. 2005 was a season of firsts; new GPs in the USA, China and Turkey as well as a maiden GP win for Marco Melandri, who finished second overall in an impressive rise through the rankings from his 2004 final standing of 10th place. He and Troy Bayliss began their first season with Honda with high hopes of championship success, alongside Colin Edwards' debut with Yamaha and Carlos Checa’s with Ducati.