Valentino Rossi recalls: "There was always someone with a beer"

Despite his absence from the MotoGP paddock, Valentino Rossi remains a highly charismatic figure like few others. The nine-time world champion has personally experienced the changes of the last thirty years. And few can explain how the World Championship has evolved, both environmentally and technically, as well as he can.

The legend from Tavullia is something of a link between the old and new guard. He lived through the days of the 500cc class and modern MotoGP. He currently races on four wheels but runs a team competing in the Top Class. His presence is a constant factor; whenever he has the chance, he closely follows the affairs of his team, entrusted to his lifelong friend Alessio Salucci.

In a recent interview with the Italian edition of Rolling Stone magazine, Valentino Rossi chose to retrace his legacy and recall a golden era that, in his view, has been lost. "I brought a bit of youth to motorcycling. I was the first modern rider, in the sense that I was already in the 500 class at 20," the Doctor recounted. At that time, the veterans ruled the roost, and with his flair he injected a youthful spark into the premier two-wheeled series.

For Valentino, the paddock has lost that mischievous spark that made it special. "Before, motorcycling was always a crazy thing, but there were more mature people," he continued. And although he admits that the riders are still "a fine bunch of lunatics," a certain sterility has taken over the daily routine. "Now everything has become much more professional; at 9:30 there isn’t a soul in the paddock... At least before, you could always find someone having a beer."

According to Valentino Rossi, the ultimate embodiment of charisma was Barry Sheene, a rider he knew very well thanks to the friendship that linked him to his father, Graziano Rossi. "He was a super advanced rider, super stylish. He arrived at races in a Rolls-Royce, he was friends with the Beatles, he was always surrounded by wonderful women, starting with his wife," explains the MotoGP Legend. "He was the James Hunt of motorcycles, but to me he was better than James Hunt. He made history."

Valentino Rossi is also credited with launching the trend of special helmets, created thanks to the ingenuity of his friend Aldo Drudi. "It’s something I can say I practically invented, and now everyone does it, even in Formula 1." An idea that did not originate with commercial intent... "We dedicated a lot of time to it, we imposed many superstitious rules on ourselves." According to the rider, the best graphics aren’t born from planning, but from urgency. "Those come when you’re backed into a corner, like: tonight or never."

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