Grazie Vale! Stoner pays glowing tributes to retiring Rossi

Bengaluru, November 10: Casey Stoner and Valentino Rossi have fought some close MotoGP battles over the years with most of them being decided as the chequered flag was being waved.

Stoner, the two-time MotoGP champion called it quits from Grand Prix racing almost a decade ago, while the 2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship season ending race in Valencia on Sunday (November 14) will bring down curtains to Rossi's illustrious motorcycling career.

The two legends have a lot of respect and admiration for each other on and off the grid and as Rossi gets ready for his swansong, Stoner paid glowing tributes to him.

"If Valentino was still loving his racing, then, you know, there's, there's no reason not to race. I myself wouldn't be able to do it. Because you know, for me, racing was winning," Stoner was quoted as saying by Dorna Sports media.

Missing Rossi

The Australian went on add how much he missed the maverick Italian on the paddock.

"I still accepted the fact that I couldn't win sometimes, but at the same time, the reason I got up in the morning to race was to win. And so I really would struggle to not be running competitively at the front, and I've missed Valentino at the front.

"I think the last, you know, two, three years, I would've loved to seen him battling it out with the guys. I think the racing could've been incredible with that. Like it was in the season before."

Amazing battles

Stoner remembered the good battles that he had fought with Rossi over the years.

"You know, me and Valentino have had some amazing battles, we had a fantastic rivalry. Some good points and bad points, some things went my way and other things really didn't.

"But there was one thing that, you know, was fantastic about racing Valentino, and it's that I got to learn from him, whether it was on track or off the track with his media. He was always very savvy, clever and cunning. So I got to learn a heck of a lot. And I think also, my achievements in my career were validated all the more having raced against him in his era."

Fluorescent yellow No 46 bike

Just like Stoner, the entire MotoGP paddock will miss Rossi as the fluorescent yellow No 46 bike will no longer shine on the MotoGP grid from next season.

At a special press conference ahead of the Grand Prix of Styria in August as the 2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship resumed after the summer break, The Doctor as he is fondly known among his peers in the paddock, officially announced his decision to retire from Grand Prix motorcycle racing at the end of 2021 season.

Grazie Vale!

Over a stellar career spanning more than a quarter of a century, the 42-year-old has carved out a niche that will be hard to match or surpass, either on-track or off.

Nine World Championship crowns across all classes , 115 wins and 235 podiums, and being the only competitor in history to win titles in the 125cc, 250cc, 500cc and MotoGP categories, mean Rossi's name will forever feature in the history books.

As the lights glow off on Sunday at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, for the quarter of a century of history and memories, the only thing left to say is, Grazie Vale!