Valentino Rossi has delighted fans with a stunning behind-the-scenes video of his day at the VR46 ranch with former MotoGP rival, Casey Stoner.
Once fierce competitors on the track, Rossi and Stoner reunited over the weekend at Rossi’s iconic ranch in Tavullia, Italy, where they relived their racing glory days. The footage, captured by GoPro, shows Stoner riding on the dirt track, guided by Rossi himself.
“I’ll show you the track,” Rossi tells Stoner at the beginning of the video. He then goes on to describe the unique nature of the track: “It’s a very fast track,” he says, with Stoner quickly responding, “It’s so slippery.”
Rossi, ever the host, extended an invitation to Stoner: “When you come to Italy, you have the bike here.” After a thrilling session on the track, Rossi thanked Stoner for coming, saying, “A great, great pleasure. A great honour.”
The video also features Rossi sharing his tips on how to navigate the Tavullia track. “After the sun goes down, it’s better,” Rossi explains. “More grip and more consistency everywhere. You improve your lap time, you can also push, and ride in another line. The track improves.”
Stoner, always insightful, shared his own racing wisdom: “Like in Jerez, when the shadows come on the track, it’s fast but dangerous. Always, the big crashes happen after this time. At the end of my career, at a certain time, I would stop. I don’t ride after 10 o’clock. It’s the same in Jerez.”
Rossi agreed, acknowledging the danger of the shadows at certain turns. He then invited Stoner to stay for meal: “We eat – if you want to stay, we’ll have a good meal. We have good guys cooking a barbecue!”
Stoner had been in Italy for a motorcycle trade show, where he also participated in a semi-competitive novelty event. Stoner made it to the semi-final before losing to Carlos Checa.
The surprise visit to Tavullia was shared by Rossi’s partner, Francesca, on social media, with Rossi later providing more details on the reunion. Marco Bezzecchi, one of the riders who joined Rossi and Stoner on the track, described the day as unforgettable: “We went back to do some sidewalks and it was beautiful! And then doing it with Vale and Casey sure helped make the day unforgettable! What a piece of history, what a thrill to be able to see them shoot together from close! Unique feeling.”
Even MotoGP legend Colin Edwards couldn’t resist commenting on Rossi’s footage, calling it “badass!”
The collaboration between the two racing icons at Rossi’s ranch has created a buzz in the motorsport community, with fans and riders alike celebrating the historic moment.
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