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WATCH: F1 Star Lewis Hamilton & Soccer Legend Ronaldo Lead Tributes to Retiring Valentino Rossi
On Sunday, when Valentino Rossi crossed the finish line, it heralded the end of an era. The Italian living legend is officially retiring from racing in MotoGP. After the checkered flag dropped, the entire grid rode up to congratulate the nine-time world champion. In addition to that, a large number of celebrities had special messages for Rossi. Chief among them were Lewis Hamilton and Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario.
Other celebrities included Hollywood actors, Tom Cruise, Chris Hemsworth, and Keanu Reeves. Even the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Mick Doohan sent their wishes for the MotoGP rider. In a different video, all of the F1 drivers, as well as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, wished Rossi a happy retirement.
NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson said, “Valentino, congratulations on such an amazing career. You’ve been such an inspiration to watch, you’ve added so much excitement to MotoGP.”
Without a doubt, the 42-year-old has made a huge and lasting impact in MotoGP. Aside from memorable battles and rivalries, The Doctor has established a legacy that will live on forever. Very few athletes have had as big an impact on their sport as Rossi has. Admittedly, he could only muster 10th place in his final race, but nobody cared about that.
How has Valentino Rossi impacted MotoGP?
In all honesty, the Yamaha rider has been hugely successful in his field. All of this is right from his 125cc days, with one championship in that series, a 250cc title, and seven MotoGP titles. Beyond that, he established the VR46 rider’s academy, which has helped groom several young Italian stars.
MotoGP – Valencia Grand Prix – Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Cheste, Spain – November 14, 2021 Petronas Yamaha SRT’s Valentino Rossi in action during the MotoGP race REUTERS/Pablo Morano TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A large majority of them have steadily moved up the ranks and became champions themselves. In the 2021 season, Valentino Rossi has competed against four of his academy riders. This includes championship runner-up Francesco Bagnaia, Franco Morbidelli, Enea Bastiannini, and his own half brother, Luca Marini.
To make matters even better, there is a chance that we may not see the last of Rossi. This is because, he has established his own team – VR46. In other words, it could be possible that the legendary rider could come back as a team principal in the future.
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