By the time you are reading this, Rossi and Vinales are putting the 2018 season MotoGP bike through its paces and testing their readiness at Sepang, Malaysia at the Winter Test.

And as tradition goes, AGV has designed special Pista GP R helmets for “The Doctor” just for the Winter Tests, and it’s called “Huichol’’, from the Mexican art form it’s been inspired from. The bright colors and snazzy decals are typical Rossi style and it looks spectacular.

To become the most successful human being of motorsport’s biggest game is a feat that takes an entire lifetime of belief and sacrifice. And of course, all the talent one can fathom think of. Luckily for an Italian bloke called Valentino Rossi, it’s all in his blood.

Keeping riders like him safe on treacherous tracks is a serious undertaking by gear manufacturers providing riding suits, boots and helmets as the first point of a safety device. The makers also go to extreme lengths in making use of them as a canvas and give out insane designs and patterns that go into showcasing the rider’s tastes and creative side.

Rossi recently visited Mexico and was impressed by the Huichol bead art which uses many of the symbols he is fond of like the sun, moon, and turtles. All of them has been represented on the helmet using tiny colorful beads and has been “given the Valentino Rossi twist.”

Designed by Aldo Drudi of Drudi Performance, the beads were created by hand using a brush, one by one and Rossi himself helped to give a myriad of color options to for this work of art. Extensive research into the original art form preceded this creation, and the results look stunning.

Hopefully, the Mexican touch can help Rossi achieve some extra luck for the 2018 calendar, especially after the injury stuck devastations last season. As always, AGV will be producing a limited run of Valentino Rossi’s winter test helmet designs for enthusiasts.

Starting his career in 1996, the Italian legend has until now swiped nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name and is still running hard to become the best rider in the MotoGP world.