Valentino Rossi

Bagnaia wins in Valencia as Rossi finishes 10th in last MotoGP race(Results)

Kevin Peterson06 mins

Ducati works rider Francesco Bagnaia has taken a fourth MotoGP win of the season after leading a Ducati 1-2-3, while nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi ends his career with tenth place. Jorge Martin made a brilliant start from pole to lead into turn one, while Bagnaia went from second to fourth. On lap two, Martin and Miller briefly exchanged the lead at turns one and two, before a lovely move at turn four from Joan Mir put him second ahead of Miller. Lap three saw Valentino Rossi, who made a good start from tenth to ninth, then lose that spot to Pramac rider Johann Zarco, who himself had a dreadful start. While the Frenchman then got stuck behind Brad Binder in eighth, fellow Ducati rider Bagnaia got ahead of Mir for P2 along the start-finish straight. Mir was then relegated to fourth five corners later as team-mate Rins also came through. The #42, who was incredibly strong on the brakes, then made another stunning move at turn six to claim second off Bagnaia – lap five. Behind the front four, Miller lost yet another place after 2021 World Champion Fabio Quartararo moved ahead of the Australian at turn four. Rossi was able to stick with Binder and Zarco for the next few laps, however, impressive rookie Enea Bastianini then pushed the nine-time world champion down to P11. Takaaki Nakagami’s dismal 2021 season ended with yet another crash as he became the first rider to lose the front at turn six. While Martin continued to look rock solid out front, Bagnaia moved back into second with a lovely overtake on Rins, before things got considerably worse for the Suzuki rider on lap 11 as he crashed at turn six. After several close looks at turn six, Bagnaia finally managed to overtake Martin for the lead – final corner move. Bagnaia then set the fastest lap of the race to put four tenths into Martin. Meanwhile, Miller began closing in on Mir who was missing several apex’s as he struggled to keep the pace of Bagnaia and Martin. With nine laps to go, Miller made it an all-Ducati podium thanks to a late braking move on Mir at turn two. Rossi’s final race was continuing to be a good one as he remained in tenth with six laps to go, however, the same couldn’t be said for Danilo Petrucci who was last of the current runners. The battle for victory continued to be close as Miller began reeling in the front two. The Jerez and Le Mans race winner looked on the absolute limit in trying to do so, however, that didn’t stop him from getting closer to Martin in particular. But just as he got close on the penultimate lap, Martin then set one of his fastest laps to maintain P2. Mir came under late pressure from Quartararo for fourth, but the Suzuki rider ultimately kept ahead. Zarco, Binder, Bastianini, Aleix Espaargaro and Rossi rounded out the top ten. VALENCIA MOTOGP, CIRCUIT RICARDO TORMO – RACE RESULTS POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF 1 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) 41m 15.481s 2 Jorge Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +0.489s 3 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +0.823s 4 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +5.214s 5 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +5.439s 6 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +6.993s 7 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +8.437s 8 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +10.933s 9 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +12.651s 10 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +13.468s 11 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +14.085s 12 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +16.534s 13 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +17.059s 14 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +18.221s 15 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +19.233s 16 Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +19.815s 17 Luca Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +28.860s 18 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +32.169s   Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) DNF   Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) DNF

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Espargaro tops Valencia FP3 as brother crashes, Rossi gets a Q2 spot after finishing 10th

Kevin Peterson06 mins

Aleix Espargaro has taken top spot in FP3 for the Valencia Grand Prix, while brother Pol was taken to the medical centre after a huge turn 12 highside. Espargaro begun qualifying day at the Valencia Grand Prix in impressive style after bettering Ducati rider Jack Miller by just -0.018s. Lap times were a considerable way off Miller’s fastest FP2 time to begin the day due to cold track temperatures. However, Espargaro was one of a select few to improve as he went ninth fastest, which relegated 2021 world champion Fabio Quartararo down to 13th. While the Aprilia rider went even quicker on his next lap to go sixth, Johann Zarco suffered a mechanical failure as smoke was coming from the rear of his Pramac Ducati. The French rider managed to return to pit lane without dropping any fluids down on-track. Espargaro, who was already fastest in regards to FP3, then went half a second clear of Takaaki Nakagami after beginning his time-attack runs with 20 minutes to go. The Spanish rider’s time put him third overall behind brother Pol Espargaro. Nakagami went fourth quickest just moments later as the LCR Honda rider also had a soft rear tyre fitted. Franco Morbidelli was next to make a big jump up the order as he went fifth fastest from 14th. The Italian’s lap was enough to move Petronas Yamaha rider Andrea Dovizioso out of the top ten. Shortly after, yellow flags were deployed in sector four as P. Espargaro suffered a huge off at turn 13. Espargaro’s crash left him down and in the gravel for a few minutes before being stretchered away. Espargaro has since been taken to the medical centre. At the front, Joan Mir momentarily went fastest as improvements over one lap continued for last year’s world champion. However, Jack Miller quickly responded by going four tenths quicker to regain first place. The Australian’s team-mate Francesco Bagnaia then made it a Ducati 1-2 with seven minutes left. Bagnaia’s second place quickly became Morbidelli’s as the Yamaha rider got within a tenth of Miller. Nakagami also went third, while Quartararo was down in 17th after having multiple laps deleted. Quartararo finally got it right with three to go and went ninth quickest – a position he kept through to the chequered flag. A late 1:30.529s saw Espargaro then secure top spot from Miller, while Valentino Rossi secured direct access thanks to tenth place. The nine-time world champion’s quickest lap came whilst following Bagnaia who himself finished fourth. VALENCIA MOTOGP, CIRCUIT RICARDO TORMO – FREE PRACTICE (3) RESULTS POS   RIDER NAT TEAM TIME/DIFF LAP MAX 1 ^11 Aleix Espargaro SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1’30.529s 16/17 327k 2 ˅1 Jack Miller AUS Ducati Team (GP21) +0.018s 16/21 334k 3 ^10 Franco Morbidelli ITA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.085s 18/20 323k 4 ˅1 Francesco Bagnaia ITA Ducati Team (GP21) +0.123s 21/21 329k 5 = Jorgr Martin SPA Pramac Ducati (GP21)* +0.185s 18/20 331k 6 ^1 Joan Mir SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.233s 20/21 327k 7 ˅1 Takaaki Nakagami JPN LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.248s 16/20 332k 8 ^2 Johann Zarco FRA Pramac Ducati (GP21) +0.257s 21/23 329k 9 ^2 Fabio Quartararo FRA Monster Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.262s 21/23 323k 10 ^11 Valentino Rossi ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.296s 20/22 323k 11 ˅7 Alex Rins SPA Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR) +0.337s 21/22 327k 12 ˅4 Brad Binder RSA Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.364s 20/21 329k 13 ^3 Iker Lecuona SPA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +0.583s 19/20 323k 14 ^6 Lica Marini ITA Sky VR46 Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +0.606s 16/20 324k 15 ˅1 Alex Marquez SPA LCR Honda (RC213V) +0.623s 22/23 332k 16 ˅1 Danilo Petrucci ITA KTM Tech3 (RC16) +0.688s 19/20 320k 17 ^1 Maverick Vinales SPA Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) +0.710s 18/19 327k 18 ˅9 Andrea Dovizioso ITA Petronas Yamaha (YZR-M1) +0.848s 21/22 323k 19 ˅2 Miguel Oliveira POR Red Bull KTM (RC16) +0.859s 20/21 327k 20 ˅1 Enea Bastianini ITA Avintia Ducati (GP19)* +0.860s 17/18 331k 21 ˅19 Pol Espargaro SPA Repsol Honda (RC213V) +0.966s 10/14 329k

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Hamilton and Norris give tribute to Valentino Rossi as he retires from MotoGP

Kevin Peterson06 mins

McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris paid tribute to his boyhood idol, Valentino Rossi, and revealed they had exchanged text messages ahead of the Italian rider’s great’s final MotoGP this weekend.Norris, 21, wore a Rossi tribute helmet at the 2019 Italian Grand Prix and the two have kept in touch since they met at Silverstone that year. “He sent me a message last night, just because he is going into the final race of his career,” the British Formula 1 driver told reporters ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Brazil’s Interlagos circuit. “It’s sad times. I’m going to miss him. He was the guy I watched when I was four, five, six years old. He got me into racing, got me onto a motorbike first,” Norris added. “He’s been the guy that I’ve looked up to, the guy who’s kind of helped me get to this position where I am because probably without watching him, my ambition of being a racing driver wouldn’t have been so high.” Norris would not divulge the details of Rossi’s text and said it was in response to a “little heartfelt message” he sent saying how much he would miss him and congratulating him on what he had achieved. Norris said he and Rossi talked “now and then” and still had plans to do some car racing together, mentioning GT sportscar events such as 12-hour races in Abu Dhabi and Dubai or even online. Seven-times F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who swapped machinery with Rossi for fun at an event in Valencia in 2019, also paid tribute to the Italian: “It’s obviously sad to see Vale stopping but I think his drive, his approach, just everything he’s done has been incredible. “The passion that he’s had for so long has shown through. And just such a legend, one of the greatest to ever do it,” declared Hamilton. The 41-year-old Italian will make his 432nd Grand Prix start this weekend having amassed a record 89 wins and 199 podium finishes in MotoGP. “I think that the most positive thing in my career is that a lot of people started to follow MotoGP to follow my career from the beginning, and the sport became bigger, more famous in Italy but also all around the world,” Rossi told reporters on Thursday. “It’s good to understand that during my career I became something different, something like an icon and this is a great, great pleasure also if for a rider it’s more important what happens on track, the result, everything.” Rossi started his career in the 125cc category and won a world title in 1997, followed by the 250cc championship in 1999. He moved to the premier class a year later and won seven titles between 2001 and 2009. “I always imagined this presser… this is a strange feeling. I want to keep it normal but that’s not possible. Great emotion right now,” said Rossi, who took part in a special ceremony during which all his championship-winning bikes were presented before the media. The Petronas Yamaha rider said he was disappointed at being unable to add a 10th world title. “I fought a lot for the 10th championship… I was able to race at a good level. My last title in 2009 was a lifetime ago. I would have been happy to win another championship but I cannot complain. I had a great career,” added Rossi.

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Rossi reunites with his championship winning bikes ahead of his last MotoGP race in Valencia

Kevin Peterson04 mins

A special display awaited Valentino Rossi as he arrived for the start of his final Valencia GP race weekend, in Valencia on Thursday. One bike from each of his nine world championship seasons was assembled, plus a representative from each of the respective factories: Lin Jarvis for Yamaha (2004, 2005, 2008, 2009), Alberto Puig for Honda (2001, 2002, 2003) and Massimo Rivola for Aprilia (1996, 1998). “The last race I want to try to make normal, but it’s not possible! It’s a great emotion and already from today to see all the bikes together and all the riders from MotoGP here is a great feeling,” said Rossi. “I have the bikes at home, except the Hondas. I have all the Aprilias and all the Yamahas. The Yamahas are in my house, the 2004 model is in my bedroom, so every morning when I wake up I see the bike! “But to have them all together like this is a great emotion and it’s a long way from the first one, a really long time ago, also if you consider that after the last one [in 2009] have another 10 years! It’s a long way and a great emotion.” Rossi was seen speaking to Puig about the 500cc NSR two-stroke as they posed for pictures, later revealing he had been asking if Honda would allow him to keep the bike he says was promised to him but never delivered. “I spoke with Alberto and I ask for minimum for the 500, also because that 500 is my 500, it’s the bike that Honda was supposed to give to me,” Rossi said. “I was ready to take it, I have already the place at home, but after for some reason the bike never arrived. “I’m happy if Honda changes their mind and give me that one. For sure, the bike will be well looked after, at a good temperature and have a good place in my house!” Rossi won the last ever 500cc world title for Honda in 2001, then the opening titles of the new four-stroke MotoGP era in 2002 and 2003, before stunning the sport by switching to the struggling Yamaha factory where he won the title at his first attempt. While Jarvis was instrumental in tempting Rossi to Yamaha in 2004 and has overseen all his seasons on the M1, Puig and Rivola arrived at HRC and Aprilia respectively long after Rossi’s era at the factories. Editorial Note: Watch a video on YouTube of Rossi’s reunion with the winning race bike here.

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Valentino Rossi to enter endurance racing after MotoGP exit

Kevin Peterson08 mins

As Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP career nears its conclusion, the Italian begins preparations for a four-wheel future. With the end of his MotoGP career now just ten days away, Valentino Rossi began preparations for his future as a racing car driver with a sportscar test at Misano yesterday. “Now it’s two races in a row, so it’s ten days. Imagine ten days compared to 26 years! It’s nothing,” Rossi said of his remaining time in MotoGP, consisting of back-to-back events at Portimao and Valencia. “It’s a very emotional moment, sincerely, and I want to try to stay concentrated to give the maximum to the end of the season. “This for me is very important because in Misano my race was not too bad and I want to try to give the maximum and remain concentrated, not think a lot about what happens on the Monday after Valencia.” “I’m still a rider and I want to give the maximum and try to enjoy these last two races. “Here in April, the weekend was difficult but in the race I was quite fast, I was in the top ten but unfortunately I crashed. So we need to make the maximum and try to be competitive to fight for the top ten.” Just before flying to this weekend’s penultimate round, the Italian was on track in a Kessel Ferrari alongside brother Luca Marini and VR46’s Uccio Salucci to prepare for their annual winter appearance in the Gulf 12 hours. But this time the preparations are more serious, marking the start of Rossi’s four-wheel ‘career’, with the nine-time world champion confirming he will then enter at least one of the major sportscar championships in 2022. “I tried the Ferrari yesterday in Misano because we will race in Abu Dhabi in January with Luca and Uccio,” Rossi confirmed. “This is the race that we always do in the last three years and in general it’s just for fun. “But we did a test – unfortunately the weather was not fantastic – but we enjoy a lot. I was not so bad. I feel good. And next year I become a car driver! So from now the approach [to car racing] and the effort is different. “But this [Gulf 12 Hours] race is still for fun and after we need to understand which championship and which program for next year.” “Sincerely Vale was really fast, really strong,” Marini said of the test. “In other tests I was closer to him. Yesterday he was pushing a lot in conditions with some wet spots. He was able to give one second to me. He was really fast, pushed the car at the limit. I was a bit more worried about this. I didn’t want to do any damage. “Also Uccio in wet he was strong. In dry he had less time to improve his lap time. But he had a good test also. We were close. I was one second from Vale and Uccio 1.5-2s from me. “But with the car it’s more difficult to talk about time. The balance of performance can change a lot as the tyres become worn.” Rossi added that the decision on which GT championship he enters after the Gulf 12 Hours is yet to be made, but he also seems to have one eye on the prestigious new Hypercar class for 2023. “It’s a very important moment for the GT races and Endurance races because they will do this new class that is called Hypercar and for 2023 all the big names in cars, the factories, also Ferrari, Porsche, Audi will race with these cars,” Rossi explained. “Next years I will race with GT cars. I still don’t know which championship because it can be the WEC but can be also European Le Mans series or International GT challenge. “We need to decide, also with which car, and I need to understand also my level and my speed because for sure I would like to race with LMP2 or with Hypercar [prototypes] but there the level of the drivers is very high. So I don’t know if I am fast enough. We will try to understand next year.” Petronas Yamaha rider Rossi and rookie Marini are currently locked in a battle to avoid being last of the full time riders in the MotoGP world championship standings, the pair currently separated by just two points, with Marini in front. Marini will continue to race for Rossi’s VR46 team as it graduates to a full MotoGP entry next season.

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Valentino Rossi’s farewell at Misano was filled with great emotion after a stunning performance

Kevin Peterson06 mins

Nine-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi is proud to bid farewell to his home Misano MotoGP fans with a decent race, Sunday’s ‘Grazie Vale’ tributes a ‘great surprise’. Valentino Rossi passed the last major milestone before the official end of his MotoGP career with an ’emotional’ final home race in Emilia Romagna GP at his local Misano circuit on Sunday. While tenth place couldn’t compare with his past victories at the circuit, it was a ‘decent’ result from 23rd and last on the grid. That matched Rossi’s best dry result of a difficult season as he overtook Petronas Yamaha team-mate Andrea Dovizioso, injured factory Yamaha rider Franco Morbidelli, Ducati wild-card Michele Pirro before passing KTM’s Brad Binder on the final lap. Ever the racer, Rossi was proud to have put on a fighting display to the chequered flag, but his finishing position was probably immaterial for the Covid-capacity 35,000 fans, most of whom were present simply to say farewell to The Doctor. The yellow grandstands would have been left deflated had Rossi crashed out, but instead the Italian was able to soak up the applause and ‘fantastic’ atmosphere of his final Misano slow down lap. “I’m very happy about today, especially because I did a decent race and it’s the best way to say ‘ciao’,” Rossi said. “I didn’t want to make a bad race and stay behind. Starting from the back of the grid is always difficult, but I knew my potential was better in the full dry [after a damp qualifying] and I felt good with the bike and tyres. “I was able to make some overtaking and have some battles until the last lap. “So it’s the best way to say ‘ciao’ to all the crowd, because there was a fantastic atmosphere around the track and a lot of fans on Sunday. It was very emotional.” The 42-year-old showed his appreciation by throwing his final special helmet design, featuring a yellow heart, into the crowd, a gesture rarely seen during his racing career. “I tried to enjoy this moment because a lot of my close friends said ‘go out and enjoy because Sunday will be great’. Like a big hug from all the fans. But I also want to make a good race, ride at my maximum and try to have a good result,” Rossi said. “So I’m very happy especially for this and it was a great emotion after the flag, I enjoyed a lot.” Adding to the usual yellow Misano haze were special ‘Grazie Vale’ tributes, including a special bright yellow livery on the VR46 bikes of Rossi’s brother Luca Marini plus Moto2 riders Marco Bezzecchi and Celestino Vietti. “Usually I don’t like surprises, I want to know everything!” said Rossi. “But this was a great surprise. I’m very happy. I have to say thank you to Uccio all my team, and to Sky. I like a lot.” When asked on whether Misano fans will remember him as the nine-time MotoGP World Champion 30 years from now Rossi said, “Misano is my home grand prix and my home circuit. It’s 10 kilometres from my house and we are very lucky to have a circuit like this close to our house because we feel like home and it’s not normal.” “MotoGP raced in Misano from 2007, so not in all my career but I was able to win three times. Especially the last time in 2014 was great,” Rossi continued. “So I hope that all the people remember this, all the good races, all the fights and all the enjoyment. “I think a lot of fans followed MotoGP because they enjoyed a lot my races. So I hope a lot they remember these special moments, like today, because also today was good.” Just two more races, at Portimao and then Valencia, now remain before the end of Valentino Rossi’s MotoGP career.

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