Rossi, a nine-time world champion on two wheels, will bid farewell to MotoGP after the f꧟inal round of the 2021 season in Valencia following an incredible 26-year career in motorcycle racing. 

During that time, the 42-year-old Italian h🔯as claimed 115 victories in his 431 grands prix, 89 of which came on his way to winning seven championships in MotoGP. 

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Sao Paulᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚo Grand Prix, Hamilton paid tribute to Rossi, calling him “such a legend”. 

"It's obviously sad to see Vale stopping but his I think his drive, his approach, just eve🃏rything he's everything he's done has been incred🎀ible,” he said. 

"The passion that he's had for so long has shown through. And [he's] just such a legend – one of the greatest t👍o eve🦄r do it, if not the greatest to ever have done it.

"So, it'll just be sad to not be watching the races and seeing him just ride in ꦍstyle as he usually does. But I think it's a beautiful time for him also, because h🐈e's got a family now he's growing or starting to build." 

At the end of the 2019 season, Hamꦅilton and Rossi took part in a special track day organised by Mercedes and Monster Energy. 

"But I'm 🌱grateful I've had the privilege to share a really s❀pecial day with him on track," Hamilton added. "I'll always remember that.”

McLaren’s Lando Norris, who is an avid Rossi fan, credited the MotoGP legen꧒d for influencing his interest ⛄in motorsport. 

“He sent me a message last nig🐽ht, just because he is going into the final race of his career,” Norris revealed. “It is sa🥀d times. I’m going to miss him. 

“I’m going to try to watch as many MotoGP races as I can. He was the guy that I watched when I was four, five, six years old. He got me into racing. He got me onto a motorbike 💎first. 

“He has been the guy that I have looked up to, the guy who kind of helped me get to this position🐓 where I am because probably without watching him my ambition 🌸of being a racing driver would not have been so high. 

“I’m lucky that I got to meet him once at a race at Silverstone. I got to go to the MotoGP race. I’m going to miss him in MotoGP. I don’t think it’s just me.&nbs🐲p;

🤡“There are millions of fans w𝄹ho support him and are also going to miss him being in F1 and the padlock. He is a character. 

“One of the be꧟st things about him is the charac💙ter that he is amongst people and fans, he has time for everyone. He is a good guy and he is definitely going to be missed.”