Casey Stoner has been dubbed “one of the quickest and wildest” MotoGP racers in history by Valentino Rossi.
After 26 seasons of grand prix racing, Rossi’s long career as a rider came to an end last month in Valencia.
During his career, the 42-year-old faced a number of formidable opponents, but Stoner is one of his favorites.
“I raced together with Casey during all his career in MotoGP, because it was not very long because he arrived in 2006 and stopped in 2012,” said Rossi.
“It’s not a long time, but he demonstrated his incredible natural talent and already from the first year with the Honda he was very, very fast always.
“So, I’m very happy to fight with him because he was one of the fastest and wildest MotoGP riders of history.”
Aside from Stoner, Rossi had major rivalries with Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez, Sete Gibernau, and Max Biaggi, all of whom were former Yamaha teammates.
He chose the latter as his favorite because they are both Italians, he praised all of them.
“The rivalry in all the sport at the top level, maybe especially in MotoGP, is something that you don’t like a lot,” remarked the seven-time premier class champion.
“But it’s fantastic for giving the maximum and for overtaking your limits and finding something inside that you don’t know that you had.
“I had great, great rivalries in my career, and I enjoyed it a lot, especially the first part because I won more.
“The second part I lost more, but anyway I enjoyed it. I want to say [my favourite was] with Biaggi, because it was two Italians. Also, in Italy it was a great movement around it.
“But also with Stoner, Lorenzo, at the end with Marquez, and with all the guys in the last years I always enjoyed.
“It’s something that, after, you remember it in a positive way, as something special.”
Rossi will race in sportscars and GTs next year, but he will continue to race motorcycles with the VR46 Racing Team in MotoGP and Moto2, as well as the Yamaha VR46 Master Camp Team in Moto2.
Several masks inspired by MOTOGP racing riders are currently available at the following websites for a reasonable price:
