ROSSI’S NEW RIDE
VALENTINO UNVEILS 2021 PETRONAS
‘We know that if he has a good season he will be top five’
Anew beginning beckons for MotoGP’s most popular and influential character, Valentino Rossi. It’s the latest, and perhaps final, chapter of the nine-time world champion’s riding career. Rossi is a Petronas Yamaha rider which in-turn means that for the first time in 20 years the Italian is now a satellite contender. The famous Yamaha blue may be gone, but Rossi has managed to keep his identity within the turquoise and black confines of the Petronas outfit, with his leathers equipped with a dash of fluorescent yellow, while his No46 is as lairy as ever. He’s also reverted back to an extremely bright and colourful helmet design to celebrate the sideways step into the independent team.
First impressions of life as a satellite rider are a lovely reboot of Rossi’s career after so many years in the pressure cooker of factory garages, whether it was HRC, Ducati or Yamaha. However, simply being Valentino Rossi and being the mature age of 42 brings its own challenges. He’ll still have a factory-spec M1 at his disposal and, to some degree, input into the bike’s development. His contract remains with the Yamaha factory and it was revealed during the team’s official launch this week that Rossi does have performance clauses which he needs to meet in order to justify an extension into 2022. The veteran will also be without long-time mechanics Alex Briggs and Brent Stephens, as well as data engineer Matteo Flamigni.
Rossi has 89 premier class victories, but he hasn’t won a race since Assen in 2017 and only has three podiums to his name in the last two years. As MCN went to press Rossi had not spoken to the media, with an online session instead taking place today (Wedndesday). So, what are the team’s expectations?
“For me and the team the target is definitely to go for podiums and a win would be fantastic with Valentino, it would be great if we could achieve that,” Team Director Johan Stigefelt explained to MCN. “For the end result, we know Valentino is always there and if he has a good season, he’ll be in the top five I’m sure.
“I don’t think he’ll have less pressure. He really wants to perform and he’s coming to the team with the mindset of being on the podium and to try to win again. We know it’ll be hard, but I think for everybody, sometimes it’s good to change your environment. He’s coming into a new team but keeps some of his staff. I think the combination of some of our young mechanics with his crew – his crew chief David Muñoz is also young, has a very good approach and is openminded - will be great.” Of course, it’s Rossi’s arrival which will further boost the team’s efforts in the premier class. He is the most known and supported racer in the world and that’s sure to bring sponsorship and marketing gains, especially in the team’s home country, Malaysia. Rossi brings a wealth of experience to a team which, despite great success, is still only two years old.
It’s this extra detail that could eventually lead to a resurgence on the track for Rossi. A morerelaxed, family-knit team and a teammate who’s a close friend rather than fierce rival. Can there be one final Rossi comeback? Only time will tell.