Valentino Rossi, 20th highest paid athlete in the world

Valentino Rossi is the highest paid motorcycle racer in MotoGP (and the rest of the modern day racers can thank him when salary checks began going up back in the good old days, before the economic climate turned sour and sponsors started to dry up) and the Italian indicated in Forbes newest 100 Highest Paid Athletes in the World list and ranking him 20th.

Rossi is reportedly raking in 15,000,000 euros a season riding – rather trying to ride a Ducati – and add all his sponsorship and endorsements, from Monster Energy, Dainese, AGV to being a Bridgestone consultant, and this is probably without adding what he rakes in from his own company VR/46 (that also supplies merchandising for other riders) and all the real estate he owns around Tavullia and Pesaro.

Rossi has already mentioned that he’ll be willing to ride even with a big salary cut as he has already earned a lot over the past years and is will to re-sign with Ducati, but he is waiting to see the competitiveness of the GP12 over the next few races – Ducati is going to be testing a new engine this week at Mugello and at Laguna Seca the two factory riders should receive the new package.

FYI, heading the top of Forbes list is boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned a massive $85 million in his last two fights …