Valentino Rossi returned to his usual charm in an interview with Rolling Stone Italy, reflecting on his influence on motorcycling, the evolution of the paddock and some of the anecdotes that defined his career. At 45 years old, the nine-time world champion remains clear-sighted and still dissecting an era-defining sport.

The Tavullia native admits that one of his big contributions was to “change the atmosphere” of the World Cup and provide a new energy. “I brought youth to motorcycle racing. I was the first modern rider in the sense that by the time I was 20 I was already riding a 500cc,” he says. For 46 years, its appearance marked a break with the championship, which still held a very different code from the one it has today.

Legends remember that before his arrival there was an even more unpredictable and chaotic atmosphere in the paddock. “Motorcycles have always been crazy, but there were more adults. Riders are still crazy, but everything is more professional now, and there’s no one alive in the paddock at 9:30, at least before you used to see people drinking beer all the time,” he explains. This comparison shows how completely professionalization has changed the atmosphere of Grand Prix weekends.

During the lecture, he also devotes special space to one of his great reference figures, Barry Sheene. Rossi described him as a “super advanced, super stylish driver”, a true star that transcends the sport. “He came to the races in a Rolls-Royce, was a friend of the Beatles, and was always surrounded by stratospheric women. He was the James Hunt of motorcycling, but to me he was better than James Hunt. He made history,” he emphasizes. He recalled one of his most famous eccentricities. “Barry had a cigarette pocket in his Dainese overalls, so if he had a fall he could start smoking while waiting to get back to the paddock.”

Valentino also talks about one of the most iconic features of his career: his special helmet. He recognizes that he was a pioneer in a trend that extends to F1 today. “This is something that I can almost say I invented and everyone does now in F1 as well. We spent a lot of time on it and there were a lot of superstitious rules,” he recalls. He also spoke about the creative tensions he had with the brand. “The sponsor wanted to give the okay for the helmet in advance, but we arrived late so there was no other option.”