Valentino Rossi is called a cross-generation racer. Currently, Rossi is still the most senior racer in the MotoGP class. Rossi has been racing at world level since 1996 until now. Many riders in his generation have retired. Call it starting from Max Biaggi, Loris Capirossi, Casey Stoner, Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo, and others.
Quoted from GPone.com, Rossi’s photo collage with small children is circulating. These children turned out to be the riders who are now in the MotoGP class. In addition to his own younger brother, Luca Marini, there are photos of Rossi with Fabio Quartararo, Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin, Miguel Oliveira, Maverick Vinales, and Joan Mir.
The photo with Marini was taken in 2004. At that time, Rossi won the MotoGP world champion for the first time with Yamaha. Moreover, the photo with Quartararo is believed to have been taken in 2009, the last year Rossi became the MotoGP world champion. No one would have thought that 12 years later this little boy would replace Rossi’s position in the Yamaha factory team. Yamaha Factory racing announced in January 2020 that Quartararo would replace Valentino Rossi beginning with the 2021 season and that he would receive factory-supported machinery for his remaining season at Petronas Yamaha SRT.
Meanwhile, the photo with Marquez, estimated to be taken in 2007. That year was the time when Rossi was defeated by Stoner with Ducati. Márquez himself races for Honda factory team since his MotoGP debut in 2013. Nicknamed the “Ant of Cervera”, he is one of four riders to have won world championship titles in three different categories.
The photo with Martin, seen from the uniform used by Rossi, was taken in 2006. This year Rossi also appeared competitive and competed with Nicky Hayden. The American-born racer managed to become world champion in the final series because Rossi fell.
In addition, photo with Vinales and Oliveira taken in 2005. The two riders are now Rossi’s rivals on the track. The last photo with Joan Mir is believed to have been taken in 2013. That year is the time when Rossi returns to Yamaha after two seasons with Ducati. Nobody would have thought that eight years later the little boy in the photo would become the 2021 MotoGP world champion. All the riders who used to idolize Rossi are now competing to beat him. However, Rossi can still appear competitive and compete with these admirers.
