At 42 years old, Valentino Rossi He says goodbye to the tracks and with him goes a large part of the current history of the competition. Lover of Argentina and Maradoneano to the core, this pilot knew how to get on the podium in the races that took place in the Termas de Río Hondo, in the province of Santiago del Estero.
With 235 podiums, he is the rider who climbed the steps the most times in the history of the MotoGP World Championship and has also achieved the highest number of victories (89), podiums (199) and fastest laps (76) in MotoGP.
Son of Graziano and Stefania Palma and brother of Luca Marini and Clara Rossi, Valentino began his road of wheels and asphalt with karts in 1990, when he achieved his first title. But that sport was more expensive and that’s why he decided to try motorcycles and it was for life. He won the regional championship in 1992 and in 1993 he was already racing in major tournaments.
From then on, nothing stopped him and his collection of titles was decorating his ever-growing showcase.
His first MotoGP title came in 1997 from Aprilia in the 125cc category. Two years later he won the championship again with the same brand but in the 250 cc category. In 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009 they reached their 7 titles (historical five in a row) with Honda in 500cc.
Always cheerful and happy, and also brave and daring, Valentino Rossi entered the great history of motorcycling and at 42 years old he decided to turn off the engine and watch everyone from the stands.
To its 225 podiums it will be necessary to add one more: that of being one of the best in history. Indisputably.
His love for Diego and Argentina
Valentino Rossi and Diego Maradona saw each other for the first time in 2008 during the Misano GP. The Italian pilot, a football lover, already had the Argentine as an idol and it was Diego himself who visited him before the start and in the paddock after the race was over.
There, in the camera accomplice of one of the thousands of photographers who surrounded them, one of the most beautiful images that exists between them was born: that of Maradona kissing Rossi’s right hand as a wish of luck and admiration before the race.
And how could it be otherwise “Il Dottore” won that Grand Prix and celebrated it with his idol. «I turned around and Diego Armando Maradona was in front of me! He approached and I returned the kiss that he had given me on the right hand on the starting grid, but on the foot, “explained Valentino Rossi in the Spanish newspaper Marca.
On the day of Maradona’s goodbye, Valentino Rossi dedicated a tweet to fire him. “Goodbye Diego, ball wizard,” he wrote.
Source From: Ambito
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