Lin Jarvis, who spent many years at Yamaha with Valentino Rossi, believes that the Italian’s departure marks the end of a ‘golden era’ in the sport, particularly for Yamaha, as the rider has restored the manufacturer’s identity, which he thought had been lost.
To Moto Revue, the team director said: ‘Like everyone else, I think it’s the end of the world, the end of a glorious era. He’s one of those unique sports icons that appear in every sport at a certain point in time, but for every icon, there’s also an ending’.
In Italy, Jarvis paid respect to the rider, recalling his sixteen years with Yamaha: ‘Valentino spent sixteen seasons with Yamaha.’ At EICMA, we had planned to honor him.’
He also noted the impact the #46 had on the manufacturer:
– He was a catalyst for change at Yamaha. He brought us back the victory in MotoGP and it also gave us back the confidence that as a company and brand we had lost a bit, and with it we realized that we could win again. We owe him a lot, it was a great adventure but it’s time for him to move on to the next chapter of life.
Several masks inspired by MOTOGP racing riders are currently available at the following websites for a reasonable price:
