A moved Valentino Rossi concludes the last race held in Italy in the MotoGP in tenth place. The nine-time world champion is now expected from the last two GPs of a career full of satisfactions.
The Doctor (Petronas Yamaha SRT) raced for the last time in his Misano Adriatica a stone's throw from the Tavullia fort, after announcing his retirement at the end of the summer break and 26 seasons in the elite of motorcycling.
THE RACE - Spaniard Marc Marquez on Honda won the race while Fabio Quartararo on Yamaha is the new MotoGP world champion. The French driver, two GPs from the end of the racing season, has a 52-point advantage over Bagnaia, who crashed today when he was leading with three laps to go.
Yamaha's "El Diablo" misses the third step of the podium, overtaken by a frenzied Enea Bastianini (Ducati), who settles behind Pol Espargaro who completes the Honda one-two. In front of Rossi, his brother Luca Marini is tenth.
PARTY FOR ROSSI - With the second event in Misano, a track where Rossi grew up, the Doctor greeted the Romagna track in front of his adoring Italian fans. At the center is the memory of Marco Simoncelli who, ten years after his tragic death in Sepang, was honored with an oak planted at turn 8 of the circuit that already bears his name.
"The idea of the oak for Sic is beautiful, that tree recalls Marco's crown, it is a beautiful symbol - said Rossi - Ten years have passed but I think I saw Sic for the last time two months ago. Sometimes I dream about it, sometimes I think about it a lot and it's a really nice feeling. "
Valentino Rossi si ritira dopo 26 anni di successi, ultima corsa in Italia
THE PARTY - The MotoGP day did not end with the award ceremony of the Nolan Grand Prix of Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna: at the end of the race, "What a story" was staged on the Romagna circuit, the greeting and the tribute of the public to Valentino Rossi.
"Valentino Rossi is an ambassador of Made in Italy in the world. Wherever I go, Valentino Rossi is always on the list of those who tell me they love Italy", said Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, handing over to the pilot from Tavullia the award as an icon of Made in Italy.
"With this recognition we say thanks to a character not only a protagonist of motorsport, who represented Italy all over the world making millions of fans dream", but who also "made Made in Italy travel at very high speed on two wheels" added Di Maio.
THE FRECCE TRICOLORI - Before departure, the aerobatic team of the Frecce Tricolori flew over the circuit making its characteristic passage with nine MB-339PAN aircraft on the starting grid.
(Unioneonline / D)