Valentino Rossi And Isle Of Man TT Legend Unite At His Tavullia Ranch For Exciting Flat-Track Event

Saajan Jogia | Jan 10, 2025

August 26, 2012; Brno, CZECH REPUBLIC; MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi (ITA) looks on prior to the Czech Republic Grand Prix at Automotodrom Brno. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images / Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Valentino Rossi has been hosting the 100 km of Champions flat-track event at his Tavullia ranch, bringing together an impressive lineup, including Isle of Man TT legend Michael Dunlop, who holds a record 29 TT victories.

The event, scheduled for January 10 and 11, features 43 riders from various racing series, including MotoGP. On Thursday, riders gathered at the ranch for practice and time trials, with the fastest lap set by Repsol Honda's MotoGP rider Luca Marini.

The event comes days after Rossi announced the arrival of his second daughter with his partner Francesca on 4th January. The seven-time MotoGP champion was seen interacting with Dunlop at his ranch ahead of Thursday's practice session.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙤𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙤𝙬 👀

Valentino Rossi and Michael Dunlop shared the track together at Rossi’s ‘100km of Champions’ event 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/AWIfBfiOAG

— MotoGP on TNT Sports (@motogpontnt) January 10, 2025

The flat-track event will be a stark contrast to what road racers typically experience on their bikes, but it promises immense excitement and demands exceptional skill to control slides when the rear steps out.

This isn't Rossi's first time sharing a track with a TT legend. Previously, he joined Dunlop for a special track day at Silverstone and also shared the track with TT icon and 'King of the Mountain' John McGuinness, who said:

"This little fella from Italy came steaming past me on the back-straight…

"Somebody called Valentino Rossi, I thought 'he is pretty fast, I'll get on the back of him'.

"He dragged me round to do the fastest lap I've ever done at Silverstone.

"I bit the screen, trying to hang on as much as I could!

"I was more interested in watching him. He's the best in the world."

However, Rossi, who is also the owner of VR46 Racing Team, has been away from the world of MotoGP for a while as he remains committed to the World Endurance Championship, where he competes in the LMGT3 class for Team WRT, driving a BMW M4 GT3.

While the arrival of a new family member might keep him away from his racing car this year, Rossi confirmed last year that he plans to have a greater presence in MotoGP in 2025. He stated:

"This year I regret not being as present at the races and having had less time to work with the riders in our Academy.

"In 2025 I want to be more present in MotoGP races, so I will also do less car racing for that reason."

Staying away from MotoGP meant Rossi also avoided participating in championship events or other high-profile activities related to the sport.

However, with his team becoming a prominent Ducati satellite outfit this year, considering the exit of Pramac to become Yamaha's satellite team, and the potential takeover of MotoGP by Liberty Media, it could also be a factor that has reignited his interest in the sport.

The change in the sport's ownership could trigger significant shifts within the premier class, potentially motivating Rossi to increase his presence at Grand Prix events.