Alcañiz.- The Italian starred this weekend in one of his worst races in MotoGP, after finishing 19th, penultimate, more than 32 seconds behind Bagnaia.
Rossi’s bitterness at this result contrasted with the rush that Bagnaia’s first win caused him, one of his protégés within the VR46 Riders Academy , the rider training platform that bears his name, and in which the Ducati rider entered many years ago (2014). His relationship with Il Dottore has become closer as the man from Turin has grown older, to the point of becoming a very good friend.
“I am very happy for Pecco, first of all from a personal point of view, because he is a great friend of mine and I spend a lot of time with him. The first victory of a rider in MotoGP is an unforgettable moment”, agreed Rossi , who next week, in Misano, will face the first of the last five Grand Prix of his life in the World Championship that has made him a legend.
This Saturday, Rossi and Bagnaia were together envisioning how Sunday’s race at Motorland might go. According to what the man from Tavullia told the journalists, he was convinced that his pupil was facing the best opportunity that had ever been presented to him to release his record of triumphs in the heavy motorcycle category. The key was getting it right, starting with the choice of tires.
“Yesterday I told him it was time to win, and I tried to hypnotize him into choosing the front hard rubber and the rear soft rubber. Sometimes Pecco makes a little strange tire selections. But he did a race of 10, starting from pole, in the lead every lap and defending himself almost to the finish line”, continued the #46 , who affirms that he is calm for the health in which motorcycling in his country will remain once hang the monkey in Valencia, next November: “At the end of the year I’m retiring, but Pecco and Franco [Morbidelli] stay and they’re very good”.
(Click on the link or on the image to see all the photos of Valentino Rossi at the 2021 MotoGP Aragon GP)
