The future is so bright for successful motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi that he has to wear shades, and the Italian’s choice for sunglasses are officially Oakleys.

That was the word from Oakley, Inc who revealed today that MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi has joined the Oakley family as a brand ambassador.

One of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, Rossi respects the unbeatable performance and unrivaled style of Oakley eyewear.

“Valentino’s thirst for adrenalin fits the Oakley brand perfectly,” said Scott Bowers, SVP of Global Marketing and Brand Development at Oakley. “He continually pushes performance to the limit, and he respects the fact that we earned our authenticity by doing the same.”

Established in 1975 and headquartered in Southern California, Oakley is one of the most well-known and reportedly, leading sports brands in the world. The holder of more than 600 patents, Oakley is proud of taking its technological advances and wrapping them in sunglasses art.

“In all the sports that demand the best vision possible, world-class athletes depend on Oakley eyewear technology for the ultimate in performance and protection,” Bowers noted, “Valentino respects and

TV journalists refer to Rossi as “The Greatest of All Time.” He is known for putting impossibly high expectations on himself, as well as his equipment.

“I chose to work with Oakley because they share my ambitious nature,” said Rossi. “Their focus on technology and innovation is what makes the quality of Oakley products so exceptional.”

Oakley boasts innovations that world-class athletes around the globe depend on to compete at the highest level possible and is known for its insuperable lens technologies such as High Definition Optics® (HDO®) which is incorporated into all Oakley sun and prescription eyewear, and goggles.

Rossi’s current favorite is Oakley’s Holbrook sunglass. He is working with the company’s designers to develop his own version of the classic style, and it will be known as the V46 Signature Holbrook. As brand ambassador, Rossi will be the face of the company’s Icon campaign in Italy and Spain.

Rossi has nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name, a record seven of which are in the premier class. He has cemented his status as a motorcycle icon with more than a hundred career wins so far. He currently holds the record of 79 wins in 500cc/MotoGP.

While his success certainly brought the racer and sunglass manufacturer together, Oakleys are always about style.

“In addition to his record-breaking successes, he is known for his outgoing nature, and Oakley style speaks to his unique personality. We are honored that he has joined us to serve as a brand ambassador,” Bowers concluded.