The 2021 Valencia Grand Prix was the last dance for MotoGP™’s biggest icon: Valentino Rossi. A packed crowd flocked to the Circuit Ricardo Tormo to see The Doctor race for one final time in MotoGP™, and what a weekend of celebration it was.
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UNSEEN: UNIQUE CELEBRATIONS FOR A UNIQUE RIDER - GRAZIE VALE!
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REWIND: CHAPTER 18 - CHE SPETTACOLO
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UNSEEN: PETRUCCI'S TEARFUL DAKAR BIKE SWAP
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UNSEEN: "WHAT A ******* JOURNEY!" - GARDNER CLINCHES THE CROWN
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ROSSI'S LAST DANCE AS SEEN FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE
Understandably, with the title already sewn up, the competition took a back seat for the most part. However, Ducati ended the year on a high as a 1-2-3 for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) and Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) saw Ducati Lenovo Team claim the Teams’ title, and Martin Rookie of the Year.
Rossi’s final race saw the 42-year-old cross the line in a very commendable P10 – his equal-second best result of the season. After 26 years, the nine-time World Champion took the chequered flag, celebrated in front of his fans and rode into pitlane for one final time. Teammates, rivals and everyone in between paid tribute to Rossi in Valencia and later that evening, Rossi was inducted as an official MotoGP™ Legend. #GrazieVale
Elsewhere, in Moto2™, a title fight was playing out. Record-breaking Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) won the race but 10th was good enough for Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) to clinch the 2021 Moto2™ title.