INTERNATIONAL: Recently retired MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi was honoured during the EICMA motorcycle fair in Milan on Thursday. Rossi, one of motorcycling's greatest and most charismatic champions, announced in August his retirement from MotoGP at the end of the 2021 season after a quarter of a century in grand prix racing.

The 42-year-old Italian, nicknamed "The Doctor", finished 10th in his final race at the Valencia GP earlier in November to end the season 18th in the riders' standings. Rossi, a nine times world champion with seven of his titles coming in the top category, is planning a move into car racing.

He says, "From next year I'm going to start motor racing. It's something that I have always liked. I was born at first as a car driver. When I was little, I used to drive a cart, then I swapped to a motorbike. Let's see. I'm really happy to continue being a driver because I like to race and I like to be on the racetrack, but I don't know how it's going to be with cars, if it's going to be fun or maybe almost as good as MotoGP? Almost. Of course, it won't be the same. Well, let's see next year."

Rossi’s fans have expressed that they are delighted to see the legend in motorsport.

^{PHOTO: MILAN, ITALY (NOVEMBER 25, 2021) (REUTERS - Access all)}