“I will miss a lot of the feeling of Sunday mornings, two hours before the race. Where is something that you didn’t feel comfortable, because you are scared, [there’s] a lot is an emotion, because you know that race is at two o’clock, the race. I think that these things will be hard to fix.”
Ex-Yamaha team-mate Maverick Viñales said that racing alongside Rossi gave him a chance to learn and have a reference to a top-level rider.
“Sharing a team with Rossi gave me the opportunity to learn, he has been a reference point for me since I was four years old, but we have to thank him for what he has done for being an inspiration and a motivation to continue. It has been a good fortune to share a team and fight with him.
“Off the track he is a great person, he is at the top and he is the greatest of all time. It’s sad, but he has won a lot and we have to be grateful to him.”
Ha sido un verdadero honor haber compartido parte de mi carrera deportiva compitiendo contigo! Gracias por todo, LEYENDA 🟡 // It was a true honor to share part of my sports career racing with you! Thanks for all, LEGEND 🟡 @ValeYellow46 pic.twitter.com/v248Ts5aTo
— Pol Espargaró (@polespargaro) August 5, 2021
“I was able to bring a lot of people close to motorcycle racing,” Rossi added in his conference. “Without me, they don’t know MotoGP, 125 or 250, especially in Italy.
“So I did something in the first part of my career to switch on the emotions of normal people. I’m very proud because it’s something really special.
“I have to say to my fans that I always gave everything for a long long time, more than 25 years. I always try my maximum to stay in the game for stay at the top.
“It’s [been] a long trip together. I have incredible support from the fans. This makes me very very proud and I have to say thank you.”