WATCH: F1 Star Lewis Hamilton & Soccer Legend Ronaldo Lead Tributes to Retiring Valentino Rossi

On Sunday, when Valentino Rossi crossed the finish line, it heralded the end of an era. The Italian living legend is officially retiring from racing in MotoGP. After the checkered flag dropped, the entire grid rode up to congratulate the nine-time world champion. In addition to that, a large number of celebrities had special messages for Rossi. Chief among them were Lewis Hamilton and Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario.

Ronaldo, Rossi’s idol, said, “I remember when you came to Pinetina and we met each other. You were already a great champion. Congratulations! Good Luck for the future. See you soon, brother”. Other celebrities included Hollywood actors, Tom Cruise, Chris Hemsworth, and Keanu Reeves. Even the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Mick Doohan sent their wishes for the MotoGP rider. In a different video, all of the F1 drivers, as well as F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, wished Rossi a happy retirement.

NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson said, “Valentino, congratulations on such an amazing career. You’ve been such an inspiration to watch, you’ve added so much excitement to MotoGP.”

Without a doubt, the 42-year-old has made a huge and lasting impact in MotoGP. Aside from memorable battles and rivalries, The Doctor has established a legacy that will live on forever. Very few athletes have had as big an impact on their sport as Rossi has. Admittedly, he could only muster 10th place in his final race, but nobody cared about that. Hamilton said, “Thank you Vale, we love you.”

How has Valentino Rossi impacted MotoGP?

In all honesty, the Yamaha rider has been hugely successful in his field. All of this is right from his 125cc days, with one championship in that series, a 250cc title, and seven MotoGP titles. Beyond that, he established the VR46 rider’s academy, which has helped groom several young Italian stars.

A large majority of them have steadily moved up the ranks and became champions themselves. In the 2021 season, Valentino Rossi has competed against four of his academy riders. This includes championship runner-up Francesco Bagnaia, Franco Morbidelli, Enea Bastiannini, and his own half brother, Luca Marini.

To make matters even better, there is a chance that we may not see the last of Rossi. This is because, he has established his own team – VR46. In other words, it could be possible that the legendary rider could come back as a team principal in the future.

READ MORE: “Inspiration for Me”: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal Pour Tribute to Moto GP Legend Valentino Rossi After Final Race