At 42 he announces his retirement, in his career he has won 9 world titles: “My second life in the name of cars”
zeltweg
When the red camera light turns on, Valentino is almost embarrassed, sitting on a stool, alone, on stage. It is as if he already thought that the spotlight will no longer be on his figure for long, and he hides behind a smile. Then the words come out effortlessly, like a script learned by heart, already metabolized: «I decided to stop at the end of the year, this will be my last half of the season as a MotoGP rider». He is calm, without tears or uncertainties, the decision is now made. The Doctor will go back to being simply Rossi, a common surname for an extraordinary life and career. He had promised, the summer break would serve him to clarify his future and in the end there were no alternatives.
«If it were up to me, I would have liked to race for another 20 or 25 years, but it’s not possible – the conclusion -. It was nice, there were unforgettable moments and I will always carry them with me ». Nine world titles, 115 victories, 235 podiums in 26 years lived at top speed. His memories, however, had been brighter for some time than the present, with the young generation putting him in difficulty and a competitiveness that he could no longer find. “I don’t even know what happened,” but the results indicated that the legend was now in danger of living only more than its own reflection. It is the fundamental difference between being a pilot and being one, Rossi belongs to the second category.
“If you are a real driver, you never race just to have fun, but to win,” he stressed. His last hit dates back to 3 years ago, too many. He had one last temptation, another year with his team and alongside his brother. “I would have liked it, I had also made an official offer with a good salary, but it would have been an interesting project for two or three years, not just for one. It was a difficult decision, but in the end you have to realize that in sport it is the results that make the difference and I took the right path ». A clean break, “after all, they were asking me for 8 years when I would do it,” he commented with a laugh, which even the closest people were not convinced of. Starting with his father Graziano (“I convinced him only two days ago”) to continue with his entire entourage, up to his fans. Many, many, a yellow tide that has spread all over the world.
«When they recognize me, I see my number 46 attached to the scooters, I have a good feeling – said Valentino -. I am proud to have entertained so many people every Sunday, we did it together and it was a long journey ». Now at the end, 9 more races, 9 Sundays before the real farewell to Valencia, in November. Then another life will begin for Rossi and he already knows that it will not be a painless change. “What will I miss? Training to win, riding a MotoGP, working with my team, that feeling of fear, but pleasant, before the race ». Those little rites and those great pleasures that made her career a masterpiece, even when things were going wrong. “I have no regrets and cannot complain. I feel calm, but not happy. In the end, I wouldn’t even be if I ran another year, because I’d like to do it much longer, ”he smiled. Better to think about his second life, even sports, which will be under the sign of cars. “Who knows what my level will be? There are many races still to be done », he asked himself. Almost a return to childhood, when as a child he raced with Go Karts before falling in love with motorcycles. After all, Valentino has remained the same, simply a rider .—