# Roberto Rolfo

Roberto 'Roby' Rolfo (born 23 March 1980) is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer. He had his best season in 2003, when he finished in second place in the 250cc World Championship. Rolfo competed in the MotoGP class for one year before he switched to the Superbike World Championship, where he remained up to the start of 2009.

## Career

Rolfo was born in Turin, Italy.

### 250cc World Championship

Rolfo began competing in the Grand Prix series with a few wildcard entries in 1996. After finishing in third place in the European championship in 1997, Rolfo competed in his first full World Championship season in 1998. In his first season his best result was fifth place in Argentina, and in 1999 it was again a fifth, at Catalunya. In 2000 he finished no higher than sixth.
2001 proved to be a breakthrough year. Riding for the Safilo Aprilia team, he finished fourth in the championship, ahead of the factory Aprilias Riccardo Chiarello and Jeremy McWilliams. After scoring points in the first four races, he scored three podiums in the next four (second at Mugello and Donington Park and 3rd at Catalunya). He only failed to score points twice all season.
In 2002 he raced for the Fortuna-Honda Gresini team. He scored five second places, three of them behind countryman and champion Marco Melandri. He only failed to score points once, earning him third place overall in the world championship.
Following Fausto Gresini's decision to concentrate in MotoGP class in 2003, Rolfo switched to a team run by Daniel Amatrian, albeit main sponsor Fortuna remains. He went better both in terms of race results and championship finish. He was victorious at Sachsenring and Phillip Island en route to finishing the season in second overall. He went into the final race knowing that victory would give him the title unless Manuel Poggiali finished second, but he was down in seventh. He did beat the series' winningest rider that year, Toni Elías, into third overall however.
2004 was not a success by these standards. Rolfo won in Spain, but was not on the podium again, finishing only eighth overall.

### MotoGP

After making no advance in 2004, Rolfo moved up to MotoGP for 2005, with the D'Antin Ducati team. Running year-old machinery, on Dunlop tyres which were perceived to be inferior and which the bike was not designed around, and with no teammate, decent results were always going to be hard to come by. He scored points in nine races, with a best of tenth, to finish 18th overall in the championship.

### Superbike World Championship

With no ride available in MotoGP, Roberto switched to the Superbike World Championship for 2006. He raced for Caracchi Ducati team on a privateer bike. He started strongly, with a fifth place and two seventh places in the first four races, but only managed two top ten finishes (both at Monza) in the following five rounds, and ultimately finished 16th overall.
For 2007 he joined the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda team, alongside 2004 champion James Toseland. Rolfo managed a career-best fourth place at Monza and Silverstone and finished 8th overall, but was overshadowed by his teammate's championship win.
He was not retained by Ten Kate Honda for 2008 and signed for Althea Honda, taking Hannspree sponsorship with him. He missed the Monza round due to injury. Axed for 2009, he scored a second-row grid position at contract time at Magny-Cours. He was also quick in the rain at Donington before a rash attempt at overtaking Leon Haslam eliminated him and took Haslam out of contention.
For 2009, he joined the new-to-WSBK Stiggy Racing Honda team, alongside Haslam, but lost the seat following the Qatar round of the season to John Hopkins.

## Career statistics
### Grand Prix motorcycle racing
#### By season

| Season | Class | Motorcycle | Team | Race | Win | Pod | Pole | FLap | Pts | Plcd |
| 1996 | 250cc | Aprilia | Team Italia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1998 | 250cc | TSR-Honda | Scuderia Carrizosa | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 12th |
| 1999 | 250cc | Aprilia | Vasco Rossi Racing | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 14th |
| 2000 | 250cc | TSR-Honda | Tino Villa Racing | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 16th |
| 2000 | 250cc | Aprilia | Racing Factory | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 16th |
| 2001 | 250cc | Aprilia | Safilo Oxydo Race | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 177 | 4th |
| 2002 | 250cc | Honda | Fortuna Honda Gresini | 16 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 219 | 3rd |
| 2003 | 250cc | Honda | Fortuna Honda | 16 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 235 | 2nd |
| 2004 | 250cc | Honda | Fortuna Honda | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 116 | 8th |
| 2005 | MotoGP | Ducati | Team d’Antin Pramac | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 18th |
| 2010 | Moto2 | Suter | Italtrans S.T.R. | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 14th |
| 2012 | Moto2 | Suter | Technomag-CIP | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30th |
| 2012 | MotoGP | ART | Speed Master | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2014 | Moto2 | Suter | Tasca Racing Moto2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 29th |
| Total | | | | 153 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 999 | |

#### By class

| Class | Season | 1st GP | 1st Pod | 1st Win | Race | Win | Podiums | Pole | FLap | Pts | WChmp |
| 250cc | 1996, 1998–2004 | 1996 Italy | 2001 Italy | 2003 Germany | 102 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 896 | 0 |
| Moto2 | 2010, 2012, 2014 | 2010 Qatar | 2010 Germany | 2010 Malaysia | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 0 |
| MotoGP | 2005, 2012 | 2005 Qatar | | | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Total | 1996, 1998–2005, 2010, 2012, 2014 | | | | 153 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 3 | 999 | 0 |

#### Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Class | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1996 | 250cc | Aprilia | MAL | INA | JPN | SPA | ITA 27 | FRA | NED | GER | GBR | AUT | CZE | IMO 22 | CAT | BRA | AUS | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1998 | 250cc | TSR-Honda | JPN Ret | MAL 12 | SPA 13 | ITA Ret | FRA 14 | MAD 10 | NED 10 | GBR 12 | GER 11 | CZE 15 | IMO 8 | CAT 8 | AUS 13 | ARG 5 | | | | | 12th | 61 |
| 1999 | 250cc | Aprilia | MAL 10 | JPN 12 | SPA 9 | FRA Ret | ITA Ret | CAT 5 | NED Ret | GBR | GER 12 | CZE 11 | IMO 10 | VAL 13 | AUS DNS | RSA | BRA 9 | ARG 7 | | | 14th | 62 |
| 2000 | 250cc | TSR-Honda | RSA 15 | MAL 14 | JPN Ret | SPA 19 | FRA | ITA | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 26 |
| 2000 | 250cc | Aprilia | | | | | | | CAT Ret | NED 9 | GBR Ret | GER 6 | CZE | POR | VAL | BRA | PAC Ret | AUS 10 | | | 16th | 26 |
| 2001 | 250cc | Aprilia | JPN 5 | RSA 8 | SPA 7 | FRA 9 | ITA 2 | CAT 3 | NED Ret | GBR 2 | GER 4 | CZE 5 | POR 4 | VAL 8 | PAC 5 | AUS 3 | MAL 10 | BRA 8 | | | 4th | 177 |
| 2002 | 250cc | Honda | JPN 8 | RSA 4 | SPA 2 | FRA 5 | ITA 8 | CAT 2 | NED 3 | GBR 5 | GER 2 | CZE Ret | POR 4 | BRA 2 | PAC 6 | MAL 3 | AUS 4 | VAL 2 | | | 3rd | 219 |
| 2003 | 250cc | Honda | JPN 7 | RSA 5 | SPA 2 | FRA 3 | ITA 4 | CAT 9 | NED 6 | GBR 5 | GER 1 | CZE 4 | POR 4 | BRA 2 | PAC 2 | MAL 4 | AUS 1 | VAL 7 | | | 2nd | 235 |
| 2004 | 250cc | Honda | RSA 9 | SPA 1 | FRA Ret | ITA 7 | CAT Ret | NED 9 | BRA 7 | GER 6 | GBR DNS | CZE 6 | POR 10 | JPN 7 | QAT 7 | MAL Ret | AUS 10 | VAL 7 | | | 8th | 116 |
| 2005 | MotoGP | Ducati | SPA 15 | POR 13 | CHN 16 | FRA 15 | ITA 17 | CAT 14 | NED 18 | USA Ret | GBR 10 | GER 14 | CZE 17 | JPN Ret | MAL 13 | QAT 12 | AUS 13 | TUR 16 | VAL Ret | | 18th | 25 |
| 2010 | Moto2 | Suter | QAT 5 | SPA 12 | FRA 10 | ITA 18 | GBR 24 | NED Ret | CAT Ret | GER 3 | CZE Ret | INP 25 | RSM 10 | ARA 19 | JPN 9 | MAL 1 | AUS 26 | POR Ret | VAL 25 | | 14th | 75 |
| 2012 | Moto2 | Suter | QAT Ret | SPA 25 | POR 21 | FRA 15 | CAT Ret | GBR 16 | NED 19 | GER 20 | ITA Ret | | INP Ret | CZE 19 | RSM | ARA | | | | | 30th | 1 |
| 2012 | MotoGP | ART | | | | | | | | | | USA | | | | | JPN 16 | MAL DSQ | AUS Ret | VAL Ret | NC | 0 |
| 2014 | Moto2 | Suter | QAT | AME | ARG | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GER | INP | CZE | GBR | RSM | ARA | JPN | AUS | MAL 14 | VAL 20 | 29th | 2 |

### Superbike World Championship
#### Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Make | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | Pos. | Pts |
| Year | Make | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | Pos. | Pts |
| 2006 | Ducati | QAT 7 | QAT 13 | AUS 5 | AUS 7 | SPA Ret | SPA 16 | ITA 8 | ITA 10 | EUR 17 | EUR 19 | SMR 15 | SMR 15 | CZE 12 | CZE 17 | GBR 18 | GBR 18 | NED 8 | NED 12 | GER Ret | GER 17 | ITA 14 | ITA 15 | FRA 14 | FRA 17 | | | | | 16th | 69 |
| 2007 | Honda | QAT 7 | QAT Ret | AUS 11 | AUS 10 | EUR 9 | EUR 7 | SPA 10 | SPA 12 | NED 9 | NED 5 | ITA Ret | ITA 4 | GBR 4 | GBR C | SMR 5 | SMR 8 | CZE 5 | CZE 5 | GBR 6 | GBR 11 | GER 5 | GER 7 | ITA Ret | ITA 5 | FRA 10 | FRA 7 | | | 8th | 192 |
| 2008 | Honda | QAT 11 | QAT 15 | AUS 10 | AUS 16 | SPA 10 | SPA 17 | NED 22 | NED 14 | ITA | ITA | USA 20 | USA 16 | GER 16 | GER 17 | SMR 17 | SMR 18 | CZE Ret | CZE 12 | GBR 10 | GBR 14 | EUR Ret | EUR 13 | ITA 8 | ITA 10 | FRA Ret | FRA 10 | POR 12 | POR 18 | 17th | 59 |
| 2009 | Honda | AUS 13 | AUS 16 | QAT Ret | QAT Ret | SPA | SPA | NED | NED | ITA | ITA | RSA | RSA | USA | USA | SMR | SMR | GBR | GBR | CZE | CZE | GER | GER | ITA | ITA | FRA | FRA | POR | POR | 39th | 3 |
| 2011 | Kawasaki | AUS 11 | AUS 12 | EUR 14 | EUR 15 | NED Ret | NED 16 | ITA Ret | ITA 13 | USA 17 | USA 16 | SMR Ret | SMR 12 | SPA 14 | SPA 13 | CZE 14 | CZE 11 | GBR 13 | GBR Ret | GER 14 | GER 13 | ITA 18 | ITA Ret | FRA 13 | FRA Ret | POR | POR | | | 18th | 42 |
| 2017 | Kawasaki | AUS | AUS | THA | THA | SPA | SPA | NED | NED | ITA | ITA | GBR | GBR | ITA | ITA | USA | USA | GER | GER | POR | POR | FRA | FRA | SPA | SPA | QAT 13 | QAT 15 | | | 33rd | 4 |

### Supersport World Championship
#### Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos. | Pts |
| 2013 | MV Agusta | AUS Ret | SPA 9 | NED 6 | ITA 11 | GBR 3 | POR Ret | ITA 14 | RUS C | GBR 6 | GER 15 | TUR 5 | FRA Ret | SPA 3 | 6th | 78 |
| 2014 | Kawasaki | AUS 11 | SPA 12 | NED 6 | ITA 5 | GBR 10 | MAL 4 | ITA 10 | POR 9 | SPA 7 | FRA 3 | QAT 6 | | | 7th | 97 |
| 2015 | Honda | AUS 8 | THA 6 | SPA 10 | NED 5 | ITA 10 | GBR 11 | POR 8 | ITA 12 | MAL 6 | SPA 10 | FRA 11 | QAT 7 | | 7th | 88 |
| 2016 | MV Agusta | AUS 9 | THA 18 | SPA Ret | NED 22 | ITA 14 | MAL 12 | GBR 14 | ITA Ret | GER 18 | FRA 16 | SPA Ret | QAT Ret | | 24th | 15 |
| 2017 | MV Agusta | AUS 1 | THA 11 | SPA 6 | NED 15 | ITA Ret | GBR 14 | ITA 18 | GER | POR | | | | | 12th | 43 |
| 2017 | Honda | | | | | | | | | | FRA Ret | SPA | QAT | | 12th | 43 |
| 2019 | Kawasaki | AUS | THA | SPA | NED | ITA | SPA | ITA 23 | GBR | POR | FRA | ARG | QAT | | NC* | 0* |
* Season still in progress.