Luca Cadalora, former coach of Valentino Rossi: “He invited me to Tavullia and showed me the VR46. A week later he called me and said: ‘I’ve come up with something, come and talk to me’. We tested it at the first test at Phillip Island.”

Former Italian rider Luca Cadalora, who competed in the highest category of the motorcycle world championship (500cc from 1993 to 2000) for eight seasons, became the 125cc world champion with Garelli in 1986, and won twice in the 250cc with Honda (1991 and 1992), looked back on his time as Valentino Rossi’s coach in an interview with Moto.it. “I was away from the world for a long time, practically 15 years, from 1999 to 2000. I always followed racing and never lacked passion. I returned to Valentino and Yamaha on an adventure as a coach, and it was a great experience,” he explains.

Coaches are becoming increasingly common in the World Championship pits, with many drivers opting for personal support. The last to do so was Maverick Vinales, who began working with five-time world champions like Jorge Lorenzo. “Beautiful couple, I really want to meet them. I know them both and I think they are brave. I will be interested to see how it turns out. They are both big and very strong drivers. It’s a bit of a crazy combination, but we’ll see,” says Cadalora.

The Italian recalls that the collaboration with Rossi began “in the winter of 2015-2016″. “We met at the circuit in Misano. He was training and I was riding the bike. We started talking about bikes. He tested the Yamaha R1 he had prepared for the circuit, and then the VR46. A week later he called me and said, “I’ve come up with something, come and tell me.” We tested it at the first Phillip Island test and we both said, “Let’s try it first, and if we like it, we’ll continue.” It was a great experience, a great three years.

During that time, Cadalora accompanied Rossi to all his races. “If I had thought after the first year that it wouldn’t do me any good, I wouldn’t have continued. It was something useful for him and I was happy. Former drivers find satisfaction in helping other drivers, especially if they’re a champion like him,” he says.

As for whether it would have been easy for him to point out his mistakes to the nine-time world champion, he admitted, “Not at all.” “Sometimes there are circuits that have certain challenges and you have to remember them. For example, at Phillip Island there is a curve after a right-hand drop that has very specific characteristics. Being reminded of what to do there can make a difference.”

After three seasons, it was Cadalora who ended their professional relationship. “It was me. My daughters are teenagers and growing and I thought it was important for them to spend more time at home. That had a big influence on my decision,” he concludes.