Dani Pedrosa teases Valentino Rossi: "When will you give MotoGP another try?" The answer is unequivocal

Special dinner among MotoGP legends: Valentino Rossi answered questions from Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo.

Valentino Rossi retired from MotoGP in 2021, but he has remained present in the category as the owner of the VR46 team and has been seen in the paddock at several Grands Prix. His racing career continued on four wheels, but his name will always be remembered for what he achieved on two: 115 race wins and 9 world titles in the trophy cabinet. He was also a key figure in the growth of motorcycle racing, bringing a large number of people closer to the sport.

For what he achieved, he was inducted among the MotoGP Legends alongside other former riders who wrote pages of motorcycle racing history. On MotoGP’s official channels, a video was published of a dinner held in 2025 featuring the rider from Pesaro and other legends such as Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner, Daniel Pedrosa, Giacomo Agostini, Freddie Spencer, and Kevin Schwantz. Joining them at the table were also Carmelo Ezpeleta, Carlos Ezpeleta, and Jorge Viegas.

During the event, Pedrosa asked Rossi when he would return to try a MotoGP bike. The nine-time world champion replied emphatically that it should never happen: “Never. You know, a lot of people ask me if I feel like trying MotoGP again. But if you’re not racing, if you don’t have to do anything… I don’t miss it, to tell the truth. I don’t feel like trying it. But I ride the Yamaha R1 and sometimes the R6, or smaller bikes. I train with the guys, with Pecco, with my brother, with Bezzecchi, with Morbidelli.”

The VR46 team has a partnership with Ducati and some had imagined that Valentino would return to riding a Desmosedici GP, which has become a whole different machine compared to the one he rode during his disappointing Ducati stint in 2011–2012. He doesn’t seem interested in getting on the red bike or any other MotoGP prototype. He could also ride the Yamaha M1, being a brand ambassador for the Iwata manufacturer, but he doesn’t feel the need to do so.

Asked by Lorenzo which rider from the VR46 Academy is the strongest, Rossi replied: “At the moment, the one in best form is Bezzecchi. He’s the one who trains the most, he’s very fast at the Ranch too, he’s very focused and he’s hungry: he wants to win. He’s done a great job. But the Aprilia goes a bit less than the Ducati, and beating Marquez with a bike that goes a bit less is impossible. Marco is also very sensitive when it comes to giving feedback. He has a very aggressive riding style, but he understands what the bike is doing and that has been important for Aprilia.”

Valentino highlighted Marco Bezzecchi’s skill in understanding the bike and providing feedback to the engineers, a crucial aspect that emerged in 2025. It was his first year as a factory rider and, with the injured Jorge Martin practically unavailable, Aprilia had to place the development of the RS-GP squarely on his shoulders. Considering the growth of the Noale machine, it can be said that the rider from Rimini was very effective in giving guidance to the technicians, who in turn were skilled at turning it all into concrete improvements.