Valentino Rossi named MotoGP™ Legend
The nine-time World Champion goes from legend to Legend with one final surprise in Valencia
Already a legend, Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) has been inducted into the MotoGP™ Hall of Fame and is now an official MotoGP™ Legend! The nine-time World Champion was surprised with the honour at the FIM MotoGP™ Awards Ceremony, adding to a roll call of celebrations throughout the day as he hangs up his racing leathers.
The emotional lap of honour after the race and hero’s welcome were only the start on Sunday, and those came after a weekend already painted yellow in the number 46’s honour. Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta presented Rossi with the MotoGP™ Legend award on the stage, celebrating 26 seasons of history made and hearts captured around the world. Nine World Championships, 115 wins and 235 podiums across all classes are incredible numbers, but the legend is even more than those.
The Italian joins a long list of greats that have been made MotoGP™ Legends that includes Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Angel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington, Dani Pedrosa, Stefan Dörflinger, Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez and the late, great Nicky Hayden.
Valentino Rossi, MotoGP™ Legend: “I always think of this day like a nightmare, because it’s the end of a long career and I thought it would be in Valencia but in the end I enjoyed it a lot so I have to thank everyone, everyone who has worked with me, the whole paddock, the other riders… it was an unforgettable day and I enjoyed it. It was a long career, and always a pleasure.”
Valentino Rossi born 16 February 1979 is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer. Nicknamed The Doctor, he has won premier class World Championships with both Yamaha and Honda. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time, with nine Grand Prix World Championships to his name – seven of which are in the premier class. He is also the only road racer to have competed in 400 or more Grands Prix. He has ridden with number 46 his entire career. He also owns the Sky Racing Team VR46, which currently participates in the Moto2 class and historically in the Moto3 class. He became a MotoGP Legend after his retirement in 2021.
We all look forward to what he does next…..
