Take a look at the legend one last time. For many fans this weekend, the attraction will not be the 2021 world champion, 22-year-old Frenchman Fabio Quartarro, but Valentino Rossi, 42, who has not won, but is still moving the crowd.

The rider who crushed everything in the first decade of the century left the leadership of the MotoGP for a long time. There was Spaniard Mark Marquez, who was titled six times in seven seasons from 2013 to 2019. Quarterro will dominate in the 2020s.

But in the meantime, it’s time to say goodbye. After his 372nd Grand Prix in the Premier Class since 2000 and his 432nd Grand Prix worldwide since 1996, Rossi will be hanging out.

One title in 125cc (1997), another title in 250cc (1999) and seven in the elite: one in 500cc in 2001, and six since it was later converted to MotoGP, doubling its longevity by an extraordinary record since 2002. In 2005 and 2008 and 2009.

“The last dance for the king”

However, recent years will not be remembered, 7th place in 2019, 15th place in 2020 and 20th place in 2021, pushed to the Yamaha-SRT satellite team at the start of the season. His best result was only 8th place in the worst season of his career, first place off stage.

So Rossi leaves without regretting a discipline that can no longer shine. But it can be found everywhere there. Leader of the team with the arrival of the VR46 in MotoGP, Ducati’s new satellite team.

Starting with Francesco Pagnaya, Franco Morpitelli or his half-brother Luca Marini, he will also be a mentor to pilots trained at his academy. Finally in the hearts. His loyal supporters, of course, but the young drivers who raised him as an idol.

“The last dance for the king”, for example, he wrote on his Instagram account in Guardarro, which first saw Rosie as “(his) childhood hero”.

Aside from the emotion, the last GB of this year has not taken any game issue, with Guardarro and his co-champion Bacchia set to settle their accounts by the end of October. Dr..

Mark still lost

John Mir (Suzuki) in 3rd place, the stage is already closed, for suspense we will see 4th place separated by two points by Jack Miller (Ducati) and Johann Sarko (Ducati-Bramac). .

Quarterro, who retired after a fall in Portugal, will be looking forward to his sixth win of the season and finishing in style.

“Peko” Bagnaya, 24, who won the third Grand Prix in Portimao last Sunday, wants to look back on 2022 with more confidence.

Marquez, on the other hand, will not come to the GP. The six-time MotoGP champion, like Portugal, dropped out again after falling during off-road training.

Spaniard, who suffered a mild concussion during the impact, suffers from diplopia (double vision), which prevents him from taking part in Jerusalem’s trials next week.