Rossi is leaving MotoGP after a 26-year career in motorcycle racing, where he has 115 victories – 89 of them in MotoGP -, 199 podiums and seven high-profile championships in 432 Grand Prix starts.
As is well known, Mercedes F1 racing drivers Hamilton and Rossi swapped their rides in December 2019, with the former trying the 2019 Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1 and Rossi driving Hamilton’s 2017 Mercedes W08.
When asked by Autosport to reflect on Rossi’s accomplishments and his overall career in MotoGP before the Italian’s last race, Hamilton said: “It’s obviously sad to see Vale stop, but I think his drive, his approach, is simple everything he’s done is amazing.
“The passion he has had for so long has been shown. and [he’s] just such a legend – one of the greatest who ever did, if not the greatest who ever did.
“So it will be just sad not to see the races and to see how he drives in style as usual.
“But I think it’s a good time for him too – because he now has a family that he’s growing into or starting to build up.
“But I’m grateful that I had the privilege to spend a very special day with him on the track. I’ll always remember that. “
Lewis Hamilton, Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1, Valentino Rossi, MotoGP YZR-M1
Photo by: Monster Energy
Hamilton spoke with his former teammate Fernando Alonso at the pre-event press conference for the Sao Paulo GP event in Interlagos this weekend 2021 – the race renamed for this year after the typical Brazilian GP name.
Alonso also commented on Rossi’s upcoming resignation, saying it was “sad to see obviously his final race and a legend of the sport”.
The alpine rider added that he wished him “the best and good luck in his new life”.
Back in 2019, when the Mercedes / Yamaha ride swap took place, ahead of Rossi’s final year racing for the Yamaha factory team, Hamilton said it was “so cool to be on the track and see Valentino on the same bike in front of me”. “.
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