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, d𝕴etailed the emotional conversation after the 2021 race ൩at Assen, which ended in the gravel for the legendary rider.
"I found out I was pregnant ♔on a Thursday, but I didn't immediately tell Vale because he had a race the following weekend,” s🦹he was quoted by .
“But after doing well during qualifying, on Sunday 🍌Valentino crashed.
“And when he𒊎 found himself in the gravel he instinctively decided t♊o retire from competitive activity.
“In his head, tha𓂃t was♓ the moment he decided to retire.
"And so, when he came home on Sun🍌day night, while I was telling hi𝓀m about my pregnancy, he told me about his decision to stop.
“At the 👍same time, we reassured each other."
Rossi had prꦓeviouslꦰy told the story from his perspective.
“Before 🏅leaving, I went to lunch with Frances𒁃ca,” he said.
“She said: ‘I don’t like coffee anymore, strange because I’ve always liked co🐽ffee, maybe I’ll do a test in the next few d🧸ays’.
“I told her ‘fine’ and♏ left for Assen. While I was there, I didn’t think about꧅ her test.
“In the race I ha🐓d a bad start, crashꦇed, I was fighting with Enea Bastianini, I wrecked the bike.
“When you are in the gravel y🌊ou say: ‘If 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 25 year✨s.
“When I arrived I told Francesca to come out for dinner but she said ‘no, you come h𒆙ere’.
“I had theܫ impression th𒊎at she wanted to tell me something.
“It happened all toge♒ther - I found out I was becoming a f🔜ather on the day that I decided to stop racing.”
Giulietta, the couple’s first baby, was born on the same day that the 2022 MotoGP season (the first since Ross꧙i’s retirement) started.
"Vale watched the first ꦜrace away from the track with the baby in his arms,” his partner explained.
The astonishing legacy of Ros𓄧si 🍒- 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.&nb📖sp;
“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, t💃he riders, sits among the others in the brainstorming phase.
“No one taught her that. It's somethin♒g she has naturally.ꦚ
“Maybe one day she will be the first [female] champion in the hi🃏story of MotoGP."
And what about Rossi’s family growing further?
"She will certainly have 𝓀a little brother or sister.
“I grew up wiꦚth my sister and was lucky enough to share everything with her.
“Sharing is something💦 that makes the difference in theꦇ growth process.
“This will be even 𝓀more true for Giulietta, who is the little princess of the house.”
