“He’s just such a legend, one of the greatest who ever made it”; Lewis Hamilton was full of praise for Valentino Rossi, while Fernando Alonso is “sad” that Sunday’s MotoGP race in Valencia will be the last in the Italian icon’s career
By Jack Collins
Last updated: 11.11.21 8:44 PM
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have raved about Valentino Rossi, who will retire from MotoGP this weekend after the Valencia Grand Prix.
Like Hamilton, Rossi is a motorsport icon and has won seven world titles in an incredible career on two wheels.
The couple famously swapped rides in 2019, with Hamilton trying the 2019 Yamaha motorcycle while Rossi drove the 2017 Mercedes F1 car.
It is clear that the Briton, who has the chance to beat the Italian by an eighth crown in terms of motorsport titles this season, has full admiration for the 42-year-old.
“It’s obviously sad to see him quit, but I think his drive, his approach, everything he’s done has been incredible,” said Hamilton at the press conference ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in F1 this weekend .
Rossi has won nine Grand Prix World Championships
“The passion he’s had for so long caught on, he’s just such a legend, one of the greatest that has ever done, if not the greatest that has ever done it.
“It will just be sad not to see the races and to see him drive in style as usual, but I think it’s a good time for him, also because he now has a family that he is just beginning to build.
“I am grateful that I had the privilege of being able to spend a very special day with him on the track. I will always remember that.”
It wasn’t the dream end of his career that he would have wished for, as the Italian is currently in 20th place overall in the last race of the season.
In addition to Hamilton in the Brazilian press conference, the two-time world champion Alonso also paid tribute to the outgoing Rossi.
“It is sad to see that it is his last race, a legend of the sport. I wish him all the best and good luck in this new phase of his life,” said the Spaniard.
Lewis Hamilton considers the constructors’ championship “so important” for the development of the Mercedes team
Lewis Hamilton considers the constructors’ championship “so important” for the development of the Mercedes team
The upcoming Sao Paulo Grand Prix could prove crucial as Hamilton seeks to claim an unprecedented eighth world title by the end of this season.
With only four races left, Red Bulls Max Verstappen is currently at the top of the overall standings with a 19-point lead before it goes live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend in Brazil.
The post Lewis Hamilton on the “incredible” Valentino Rossi as a motorcycle legend ends his career in MotoGP first appeared on monter-une-startup.
