Emotional back-story of the day Valentino Rossi made “the decision to stop”
Francesca Sofia Novello, Rossi’s partner and the mother of their daughter Giulietta, detailed the emotional conversation after the 2021 race at Assen, which ended in the gravel fo🌠r the legendary rider.
"I f𒁃ound out I was pregnant on a Thursday, but I didn't immediately tell Vale because he had a race the following weekend,” she wꦐas quoted by .
“B🐬ut💦 after doing well during qualifying, on Sunday Valentino crashed.
“And when he f🎐ound himself in the gravel he instinctively decided to retire from competitive activity.&nbs🔴p;
“In his head, that was t🤡he moment he decided 👍to retire.
"And so, when he came home on Sunday night, while I was telling him about my pregnancy, he told me about h🍃is decision to stop.
“At the same time, we reassured each othe🌳r."
Rossi had previously told the story from🍰 his persౠpective.
“Before leaving, I w𒁃ent to lunch with Francesca,” he said.&𒁏nbsp;
“She said: ‘I don’t like♚ coffee anymore, strange because I’ve always liked coffee, maybe 🐓I’ll do a test in the next few days’.
“I told her ‘fine’ and left for Assen. While I was there, I didn’t think about 🐭her test.
“In the race I had🎉 a🅠 bad start, crashed, I was fighting with Enea Bastianini, I wrecked the bike.
“When you are in the gravel you say: ‘I🐼f I need a sign to stop, it is this!’
“Imagine my state of mind because it means giving up a life that you had for 2🃏5ꦛ years.
“When🍃 I arrived I told Francesca to come out for dinner but she said ‘n🐻o, you come here’.
“I had the impressi♐on that she wanted to tell me something.
“It happened al🌠l together - I found out✨ I was becoming a father on the day that I decided to stop racing.”
Gi🐼ulietta, the couple’s first baby, was born on the same day that the 2022 MotoGP season (the fi🐽rst since Rossi’s retirement) started.
"Vale watched the first race away from the track with the baby in his arms,” his pa🍃rtner 🔯explained.
T๊he astonishing legacy of Rossi - seven MotoGP championships plus fame which stretched far beyond the sport itself - could yet continue through an unexpected source.
“Giulietta has a passion for mo꧃torbikes in her DNA,” her mother said.&nbsꦛp;
“Partly because obviously we have two wheels and helmets at home, partly because on Saturdays she goes to the Ranch, where✅ she watches the tests, the riders, sits among the others in the brainstorming phase.
“No one taught her t🧸hat. It's something she h𒐪as naturally.
“Maybe one da🔯y she will be the first [female] champion in the history of MotoGP."
And what about Rossi’s family growing further?
"She will certainly have a little brother or sꦑister. ♎;
“I grew up with my sister and was lucky enough to share 🐬everything with her.
“Sharing is som🌜ething that makes the d🐻ifference in the growth process.
“This will be even more true for Giulietta, who is the🍌 little princess of the house.”
