Valentino Rossi: “Try the maximum but don’t need pole position” with TT icons
“It’s an amazing feeling to sha꧟re the track with people like John Mc🧔Guiness, John Hopkins"

Valentino Rossi has shared his thoughts on sharing Silverstone with an all-star set🤡 of riders from different series.
A Monster Energy Legends Day ꦍat the home of the British Grand Prix brought together riders from MotoGP, World Superbikes, Brit🔜ish Superbikes and the Isle of Man TT.
In attendance were:
Valentino Rossi
Francesco Bagnaia
Franco Morbidelli
Marco Bezzecchi
Fabio di Giannantonio
Alvaro Bautista
Nicolo Bulega
Jonathan Rea
Fabio Quartararo
Alex Rins
Michael Dunlop
Peter Hickman
John McGuinness
John Hopkin
Randy Mamola
Darryn Binder
Cal Crutchlow
Josh Brookes

Even Yamaha managing director Lin Jarvis hopped on a bike foཧr a few laps!
“A great idea from Monster,” ꦗsaid Rossi. 𓆉;
“It’꧃s an amazing feeling to share the track with people like John McGuiness, John Hopkins and the guys from different championships.
“I was worried about the weather. I thought it might be eigh💖t degrees and rain but this is fantastic.
“I [always] try to have some time on the bike…🌳 because I don’t want to give up.
"I feel in qu𝔍ite good shape and, also, when you do a [track] day like this then you can pu꧟sh but still have fun because there is a bit of margin.
"You think🌜 ‘I’ll try the maximum…but I don’t need the Pole Position’.
"It’s a great feeling. It’s always difficult because it’s physical – the cars♛ are easier – but it’s alw🌞ays fantastic.”
WSBK legend Rea added: “This is💙 so cool because I never usually get the chance to hang out with peers.
"I had a good chat with John McGuiness and Michael🐟 Dunlop and then sharing the t꧃rack with GP guys, TT guys, BSB and my peers in Superbike in a really relaxed atmosphere is cool.
"When you are in the hustle and bustle of a race weekend then you are in your own li😼ttꦏle bubble worrying about your performance but here you can just enjoy riding a motorbike, hanging out with the crew and be less focused on performance.”
Rea said about the mood in the paddock: “Gen﷽eral chit-c🍷hat and usually not about racing.
“I mean, catching up with GP guys then you ask them how it’s going and I’m facing a bit of a difficult moment in Superbike and they are al𝓰so interested.
"But it’s more normal life ꦑstuff though because the last thing athletes usually want to talk about is the day job. It’s pretty relaxed.”

Quartararo said: “It’s about having 𒉰the chance toꦇ be on track with riders that you never usually would.
“It’s been a lot of fun and the first time I’♍ve ridden an R1 since 2021! It’s a great opportunity to take part in something unique.”
Bagnaia said: “It’s iღncredible to have this mix of riders.
“Also, useful! I always 👍struggle a bit with my first laps here at Silverstone and [riding the Panigale] is completely different, but the more you ride where you have 🌸to race then it helps.
“It’s a physically demanding circuit because it’s so fast and you have to be very p🍃recise with the changes of direction. I love it…but it’s also very tricky!”
Hickman said: “I find the transition from short circuits to the road quite easy but coming back༒ the other way is quite difficult! It’s interesting h♚ow differently we see things, view things or feel things.
“Monste෴r are good at looking after their athletes, and then putting us in places and situations we normally wouldn’t be in!
“It’s cool that they can cut across 🦩the sports. At the TT recently we met some snowboarders that were there for the first time. Monster are helpful and they make things happen.
𝔍"I actually had no idea of the specifics of this event. I think they deliberately didn’t tell anyone. So, turning up to see Valentino on track, Johnny Rea, Baut💮ista…there are loads. It’s a proper mix which is super-cool.”
In this article

James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering every𒉰thing from American sports, to football, to F1.