Italian MotoGP World Championship icon Valentino Rossi, 42, will retire from competition at the end of the 2021 season, he announced at a press conference Thursday on the sidelines of the GP de Styria, Austria.

"I decided to quit at the end of the season," said the driver, nine times world champion in all categories but in decline for a few years.

“Unfortunately, I am starting my last half of the season as a MotoGP rider.

It's a difficult time, quite sad, he said.

Next year my life will change.

It's been a really long journey, but really, really, really fun.

"

Hired in 2021 with Yamaha-SRT, Rossi had announced it: he would decide his future this summer, depending on his results.

However, the “Doctor” had the most difficult start of his career among the world elite, with only one top 10 in Italy and a sad 19th place among the drivers with 17 points on the eve of the tenth round.

“During the season, the results were not what I expected, so I started to question myself,” he explained.

I have no words ... Big congratulations for your amazing career!

I'll remember all my life the first race I ever watch you in Jerez 2005 and you motivated me to be where I am today.

I had the pleasure to be on track with you for 3 years and share my victory in Jerez with you pic.twitter.com/P2G8Mg8UYl

- Fabio Quartararo (@ FabioQ20) August 5, 2021

Rossi, "a pilot for life"

Rossi could have continued for an additional season (his 27th in the World) with his own team, the VR46, which will integrate MotoGP in 2022 as a Ducati satellite, but he decided otherwise.

“I would have liked to have raced with my team but I decided not to because it meant changing bikes [from Yamaha to Ducati],” he explained.

“For two or three years it would be fine, but for just one season it might be too risky.

"

However, we should not see the star disappear from the circuits: in addition to managing his team engaged in the motorcycle speed world championship, Rossi wants to try his hand at car racing.

“I think I'm a pilot for life,” he said.

I'm just going to switch bikes to cars, definitely not at the same level, but I think I'll keep racing.

"

Sport

Moto GP: Quartararo wins in the "Temple of speed", in Assen, and accentuates his lead at the top of the World Championship

Miscellaneous

Lot: Dressed in Valentino Rossi, a biker is controlled at 201 km / h on a secondary road

  • Sport

  • Auto Moto

  • Motorbike