Is Valentino Rossi a good racing driver?

[@simoneburini4036]

His love for auto racing (and probably the raw speed he is showing) is not a surprise when you know that his racing career actually began in karting before switching to motorcycles.

[@maxb148]

What I like about Rossi in WEC this year is his humility about not being the fastest driver. He did an interview at Le Mans and was asked about moving to Hypercar and he said he wasnt quick enough at the moment and that he would want to get the seat on merit not just because he has the fame.

[@km6832]

He got the WRT seat because of fame in the first place. Lol BMW has junior drivers that won nurburgring races and rossi walked straight into a professional seat.

[@tarikviaer-mcclymont5762]

Just like in the workplace right? No difference

[@125Addicted]

@@km6832 oh cmon its fucking Valentino Rossi, how do you turn that down?

[@km6832]

@@125Addicted by giving people.positions on merrit and skill not because of fame

[@Lucaz99]

@@km6832yeah like most of motorsports right? PPFFFTTTT 😂😂😂😂😂

[@125Addicted]

he could monetize A LOT out of his post Motogp career, but instead, he went looking for more challenges for pure passion. in italy we consider him totally retired, doing just side quest here and there. He could have gain a tv show contract around him but he didn't do it. respect

[@hathaway.1166]

i only see a man that got to do what he always wanted to do, big W to him

[@sdx3918]

I think he is coming along very well in the GT3 ranks especially after the switch to BMW and I even consider him as a "super silver" driver now.

[@tooeasy1100]

I agree. The car serves him well and in WEC he’s probably one of the best silvers.

[@PozzaPizz]

For us italians he is a near demi god in racing and he's been one of our representatives for a long long time. Viva il dottore! He's the utmost expression of passion

[@therealquaid1694]

He's a near Demi god at endlessly whining.

[@yofeljx]

@@therealquaid1694 let me guess, you're spanish?

[@therealquaid1694]

@@yofeljx I'm from Scotland

[@Hilian95]

​@@therealquaid1694 The shame of scotland right here.

[@therealquaid1694]

@@Hilian95 I'm just upset Rossi had the nerve to race Cal Crutchlow and interfere with the championship. It's not right.

[@Indicant]

He had a monumental drive at Fuji, was special to see!

[@EEESRAINMAN]

Considering he's had 2 podiums in the WEC, I'd say he's pretty damn good

[@alexanderodonnell988]

Carried by Martin

[@EEESRAINMAN]

@@alexanderodonnell988 Didn't look like he was being carried when he passed 5 cars in his first 2 laps at Fuji

[@alexanderodonnell988]

@@EEESRAINMAN pretty sure there were still ams in the car...

[@EEESRAINMAN]

@@alexanderodonnell988 I'd you don't like him, just say that lol. He's a very solid silver driver, especially considering how little time he's been driving GT3's.

[@alexanderodonnell988]

@EEESRAINMAN oh yeah for sure he's been good. I thought he'd be a lot further back than he os right noe and and is a solid silver driver. However a lot of people talking about his "abilities " like he's a platinum driver. I'm not his no.1 fan especially with the bop going in favour of the manufacturer he's driving for just because he brings more money to the series from his fans. That being said I have respect for where he is because there isnt a great many drivers who make it to where he is as a decent gt3 driver. But he's no where near as good people make him out to be

[@eliasmaissour437]

If anything. Him joining Gt3 really showed just how unforgiving the category is, really showed just how much pure pace and racecraft you need to race in those huge fields. His pace improved but racecraft is much harder since cars are much bigger and faster through corners and require very different modulating and control

[@AbrahamArthemius]

Considering his age of 43 and just started racing in GT full time for a couple of years, i think he's done a great job so far. I mean Ben Keating is 53 and he's doing great after years of experience.

[@JackPecker911]

Considering his age at this point, where I consider him to be past his prime, these results are insanely good

[@robc3056]

What... yeah right Dont worry your be there so much quicker than you like... have fun "Young" Man....And you will still never have his level of "Past It" Skill

[@JackPecker911]

@@robc3056 I had an aneurysm trying to understand what you wrote

[@TheAndostro]

i will always say Rossi Loeb and Alonso are goats of modern racing

[@davidmatthews3093]

Alonso has been a disappointment for most of his career. Why is he on your pedestal?

[@TheAndostro]

@@davidmatthews3093 not Alonso but f1 cars he had i think the only teammate that matched him was young Lewis Hamilton who is also on top of best racing drivers right now

[@perfectman3077]

Nah. It is Max.

[@TheAndostro]

@@perfectman3077 give him time maybe in next 5 years i'm gonna say Max is absolutly the best

[@RTPJu]

Alonso isn't "modern racing"... he is just a Rubens Barrichello that didn't waste the opportunity to win two easy titles when he got the chance, and now folks are afraid to look bad by dismissing "the older guy in the firm"

[@snappedbydan]

Thanks for the enjoyable video summary. I agree he has come a long way in a short space of time and relatively low amount of seat time. As someone who has enjoyed gt3 at brands hatch for a long time now, I will say that Rossi has brought a huge huge amount of popularity to GTWC. This is both a positive and a negative. Good for the series no doubt, but as someone who very much goes to the race weekend to enjoy the cars more than anything else, the Rossi circus has really spoilt the pit lane walk. The line of people and general overcrowded nature of the Rossi table makes it almost impossible to enjoy the cars like we used to before he entered. It's a shame. Nevertheless this is not his fault and I wish him well in the future.

[@gchampi2]

How good is he? Better than 99.999% of the people watching this video (including me). How good is he compared to the rest of the GT3 competitors? Better'n some, Worse than others. The important thing is, he's improving race by race. He's got the speed pretty much sorted, but his racecraft still needs work - mainly he needs to unlearn the habits he picked up from racing Bikes, like divebombing late lunges into corners. That's a move directly from bikes, as you can force the rider you're divebombing to back out so they don't crash. In cars, the driver you're trying to pass WILL turn in, there WILL be a crash, and you WILL get a penalty (and usually a ticking off from the clerk of the course/race director). I have no doubt he will get the hang of racing cars, and will have a rewarding second career. Will he ever win a championship? Maybe, but I'm doubtful. He's getting on in life, so he might have had enough of the physical training and risk-taking needed for that. All that said, if he decides he's prepared to put in the work, he definitely has the potential for a championship or two...

[@cassis1018]

OK. I have heard that the number 1 driver in the world is a dive bomber. His name is Max Verstappen.

[@NurburgringMascotThirstA-is6gl]

Good video! More sportscar racing coverage on KZbin is always welcome.

[@AS19Motorsport]

Thank you!

[@thomaspiscioneri7917]

Rossi is such a legend to go from 2 wheels as a champion then decides to give 4 wheels a go is massive credit as it’s so different, I don’t know many drivers or riders like that can do both and be super competitive and also quick too, so credits to him for sure. Travis Pastrana pops to mind actually as another multi talented driver/ rider

[@RTPJu]

John Surtees won four times the 50s equivalent to MotoGP and then the 1964 F1 championship (and it's probable that he is one of the very few F1 drivers to win the championship without having the best car)

[@marksern]

I don't really knows who he is but his monster drink is goated, shame i can't find it anywhere anymore

[@AbrahamArthemius]

Considering his age and relative low experience after going full time in GT racing, he's doing great and can punch above his weight at times. At the very least, he's always mingling in the middle of the pack rather than trailing behind it.

[@comradeyellow6781]

Depends on what you mean by good. He's pretty damn good considering he picked pro racing in his 40s, but if by good you mean one of the best then no he isn't.

[@MrKox28]

Several drivers who switched from Audi to BMW performed surprisingly well

[@EvLSpectre]

Rossi is older, but there are some seriously old drivers too in the series. He is doing good considering he ran in Moto for so long. I wanna know what some of the other drivers who know of him and watched him in MotoGP and now they get to race with him in GT

[@marktucker208]

Depends how you define good tbh. Is he really factory level? No? Is he decent enough to be professional then you’d say yes. He isn’t on the absolute pace most races but he’s consistent enough and doesn’t really make mistakes that cost races.

[@fronix5060]

Dude is just having fun

[@don_k20]

He almost raced for Ferrari's F1 team as a replacement for Filipe Massa

[@dazeen9591]

that's mad cap. He doesn't meet requirements.

[@ihavewaited90daystochangem51]

​@@dazeen9591 uhh he literally tested for Ferrari and was in talks for a super license, how about knowing what you're talking about instead "capping"? Cringe zoomer.

[@fix0the0spade]

@@dazeen9591 Back when he tested the requirements were different and as Moto GP champion the FIA were prepared to give him a Super License. Ultimately he stayed with bikes.

[@don_k20]

@@dazeen9591 Yes, he had been testing for Ferrari between 2004 and 2010, giving him a chance to be Massa's replacement. However, Rossi refused the offer and Luca Badoer took the seat instead, which was... catastrophic.

[@donlimbargo5865]

​@@ihavewaited90daystochangem51They are kind if icky arent they?

[@RTPJu]

I"m Italian and can say that it's a miracle that a fellow countryman is able to even finish a car race. In a similar way that two wheels aren't enough for a German rider, four are too much for an Italian driver

[@divecolosio4988]

I hoped him to drive an LMP2 car for a season at least, that if LMH/LMDh were too quick to jump into

[@RTPJu]

It's not too quick, just too expensive for a retired driver

[@andreascaramuzzo2883]

He's really good in rally too!

[@sscpiero2013]

The GOAT of motorsport

[@sandman1347]

He also tested the Mercedes F1 car when he did that swap with Hamilton.

[@Hayreddin]

There is a distinction to be made, between 2005 and 2006 he properly tested the Ferrari F1, it wasn't a publicity stunt or a "courtesy drive", Luigi Mazzola said he had been tasked with evaluating him as a potential F1 driver* . The other times he drove both the Ferrari and the Mercedes were just him having fun and have little meaning beyond that, the whole thing with Hamilton was basically just an advert for their shared sponsor Monster Energy. *During a livestream a couple years ago he spoke about it and said he was a solid driver, just like in MotoGP and GT3 his strong suit was race pace and consistency more than single lap times, Mazzola said that Schumacher was looking at the live timing with him and was shocked at how well Rossi was doing and how consistent he was (in that particular occasion he was driving a F1 2004 V10 that had been detuned both in power and aero to make sure its performance was as close as possible to the F248). His final assessment was that Rossi was fit to be a F1 driver and in his opinion he could've achieved podiums and even wins, while he remained dubious about winning any championships because "many things have to go right for that to happen", but also remarked that they had a very good car in those years and so who knows. Rossi himself, in his recent and somewhat controversial appearance on MigBabol (where he spoke for 2 hours but somehow only the 10mins about 2015 have made headlines), said that with cars he would've been a good driver but wouldn't have reached the same level he had on bikes.

[@sandman1347]

@@Hayreddin Yeah I remember that well. I also remember that Fernando Alonso did not agree with that assessment from Schumacher. Basically he thought Rossi was nothing special by F1 standards.

[@spekenbonen72]

Legend!

[@crystalracing4794]

Rossi was born to drive anything

[@IGG2002]

Not just good. He's one of the greatest ever.

[@TheMixCurator]

Would have been an interesting time if Rossi did make the switch in the late 2000s to four wheels. I'm guessing his testing with Ferrari showed that there wasn't a career in F1 for him - Was always half hoping he'd do a John Surtees and become world champion on 2 and 4 wheels.

[@gueliciathegoat]

That stint in Fuji tho …

[@Marquinez360]

You can do a Jorge Lorenzo's video during his Porsche Cup period

[@levinp.]

🔥

[@zaksimunovic8973]

He got into a gt3 instantly instead of doing somthing smaller before

[@drivingduck2234]

i mean consedering he is 45 years, the simple fact that he is improving his race pace and not making much mistakes in great for a LMGT3 driver, should he jump to lmph bmw next season... humm... no

[@essenumtem]

is there any place where I can check what is the pilots ratings ? tks !

[@AS19Motorsport]

Here’s a link to the current list: driverscategorisation.fia.com/public/drivers

[@titanent.6897]

Good enough to get paid to race professionally. So not bad.

[@harshithsadhana7475]

Ajit kumar an Indian actor, he loves racing he has been avid racing now has going be in racing for European 2025 gt4 racing series

[@ubaldo_ubi_purchiazza5109]

Agostini? Hailwood? Nieto?

[@akifhossain5122]

7:35 ALPHAMAXNOVA MENTIONED RAHHHH

[@kieran46]

I dont know if i am more impressed or disgusted that you managed to smuggle some benji goethe prop into this

[@riccardozamprogno5824]

yes next?

[@Reznor_Meeks]

fun fact When Valentino tested the Ferrari (F1) a few years ago, posting consistent times very close to Massa's, Ferrari was so impressed they considered offering him a contract but he wasn't done in MotoGP yet. I bet you Valentino had switched to Formula 1 back then, he would've won some races

[@s_wggns]

The contract Ferrari offered him was to compete in GP2 first and get use to racing single seaters, and if that went well the seat at Ferrari was on the table. He was only 0.7 off Schumacher's pace during his test in the Ferrari too, the guy's got tons of natural ability.

[@MarcoTernavasio-pv3ec]

In that kind of races wins who have more money.

[@Naiatelu]

He wanted to retire at 27. That may have given him a greater chance at winning titles in cars.

[@MikeWierobiej]

sooooooooooooo what you really are trying to say is that, He can drive.

[@fayelau8570]

i think Vale is still struggling a bit at these low speeds XD

[@saad_ghannam]

Yes, and he shouldn't be silver

[@maxb148]

He should be a Silver, he is like middle of the pack pace wise in WEC currently for Silver rated drivers. And if anything it helps WRT keeping him as a Silver even if he does improve so they can have him and a gold/platinum driver so they are even quicker

[@marktucker208]

WRT don’t get a choice in the driver ranking though. It’s the FIA who determine that

[@maxb148]

@marktucker208 But the drivers have a say. They can request not to change rating, for example Sarah Bovy has been moved up to Silver the last 2 years (atleast) but has always requested to stay as a Bronze and the FIA have allowed it so if Rossi wanted he could request to stay a Silver.

[@marktucker208]

@@maxb148 Yeah they can appeal the decision but its not always changed.

[@dk_noobmaster46]

Silver is right place for him, for his level and give advantages for the team.

dude missed his pit box yet still have most of our respects! thats how a legend he is ...

[@GaneshPatil-yc8fh]

I think Valentino should go to Toyota team with Yamaha engine😊

[@elgar6743]

Rossi, for most Italians, is referred to as: Il figlio d'Italia = Italy's Son. Appropriate.

[@liamstaffordd]

the fact rossi wasn't far off lap record pace during his first ever time in an F1 car as well as being close to joining F1 shows how talented he really is

[@haryosoo]

In 10 years time, Vale's rating will be dropped to bronze since drivers of 55 years of age are demoted 1 rank from their best rating. If keeps on racing until then, I think he can be as good as the great bronze-rated driver Ben Keating.

[@gian_zx1197]

spoiler: yes

[@Lorre982]

He Is only 45yo in Italy Is like having 30

[@greigsanderson]

Average, like he was in his final 2-3 years in MOTOGP.

[@mannedi8665]

He could've or would've if he focused on 4wheel racing instead of moto

[@alanjackson2540]

Where is Rossi's Ducati win?

[@hollohullu9448]

Why do you pronounce some names super strong and just say others normally?

[@AS19Motorsport]

@@hollohullu9448 i have no idea; some names just come naturally

[@km6832]

He is good, but he is not a Pro. He got the WRT seat because of his fame. Bmw had junior drivers that won races at the ring when rossi came to GTWCEU. Those drivers are yet to get a professional opportunity in bmw ranks. Am i thankful he brings more fans to GT3 races? Yes greatly appreciative, but he shouldnt be a PRO ranked/factory driver off 1 season, when they are drivers who've been around since before covid and arent even silver ranked.

[@AS19Motorsport]

I’d like to see those drivers get a chance with WRT, but there you can first think of someone like Sam de Haan who has very few positive aspects as a racing driver before “dropping” Rossi

[@AS19Motorsport]

This comment aged incredibly poorly 😬

[@robc3056]

Thats not hard.....Yes

[@giovannibalsamo6178]

he's nothing more than random gtlmn between bronze and silver who looks decent in WEC because of pro-am category of LMGT3 class. In GTWC that is the most competitive gt3 series he's just helpless... last year spa smashed out the other pro WRT car, this year spa wasted the winning shot of his car during his morning stint

[@perfectman3077]

Better than Marc, that is for sure!!

[@mikenogen]

"Marc might be the GOAT of two wheels, but can he be the GOAT of two and four wheels???" -VR46, probably

[@chisciccise]

“Marc” will never be GOAT, whichever number of wheels you may count.

[@loiolk8331]

Rossi is also the GOAT of PR wars. It's sad how much disrespect Marquez still recieves from the Rossi fanboys

[@kunalmore5212]

NO HE'S NOT!

[@ubaldo_ubi_purchiazza5109]

Biaggi want faster than him, on the F1...but no one is talking about it!

[@AustinGMRS]

5:12 it’s his icon after all doing weird celebrations

[@tunemixer6744]

nope

[@wss33]

Better than marquez.

[@spot11spot]

who is rossi

[@OllievRV]

???

[@spot11spot]

@@OllievRV WHO IS ROSSI? WHY ??? IS THIS MAN'S FAN ALL SO RUDE?

[@Halfwaythere_]

is he a good racing driver??? well fvck yeah!

[@corsa-g3o]

overrated

[@jarlbalgruufthegreater1758]

bro started racing cars over 40 years old 3 years ago and is consistently on the podium

[@StevePhoenix]

I think your take on his racecraft is overly forgiving. With his experience in MotoGP he should know how to race wheel to wheel without crashing. In fact, Rossi has historically had pretty poor sportsmanship. What he did in Malaysia in 2015 was absolutely unforgivable in my opinion and one of the poorest displays of sportsmanship in motorsport history and, since switching to cars, he has been involved in way too many incidents with drivers with better qualifying pace but slower race pace than him where he would just drive through them.

[@Bohbohboh_36373]

i think ur confusing him with marc marquez :)

[@sadikurrahman4833]

@@Bohbohboh_36373no Maria aka Rosshit simp they’re right. Whilst Marquez is getting podiums and wins still, Rosshit is still last every race 😂😂

[@frafstet3835]

Do you think that driving a bike as large as you is the same as a 2 meter wide car?

[@IKKA-r4n]

this title is so STUPID

[@G-Man01]

He's doing better than Lorenzo, and more active than the very opinionated stoner.

[@therealquaid1694]

One of motorsports biggest whiners! Glad the yellow cancer isnt destroying Moto gp anymore.

[@tomer073]

7:35 suboptimal overtake

[@AS19Motorsport]

Alphamaxnova F1 reference?

[@tomer073]

@@AS19Motorsport BWOAH he knows

[@AS19Motorsport]

@@tomer073 2005 - Hungary: Bobby Irvine vs John Alesi

[@ChrisLewis-ef8rs]

That's not right his dad was a motorbike racer and he all ways was going too races bikes he did karts for fun

[@125Addicted]

nope, he went karting before bikes, than switched to bike because karting was too expensive

[@ChrisLewis-ef8rs]

@125Addicted his dad was a pro moto bike raceer and he had his own bike when he was 4 years old

[@plebevolante]

@@ChrisLewis-ef8rs Inform yourself before correcting others. Rossi was absolutely racing karts and not as a side quest for fun, he got his license one year early at age 9 and only after switched to mini-bikes which were just arriving in Italy from Japan (the first Italian mini-bike was built in 1988 and the first proper Polini GP mini-bike wouldn't exist until 1992), in fact there is a whole generation of top Italian riders who got their start in two-wheels racing thanks to this new affordable and relatively low risk option, people like Rossi, Dovizioso, Melandri, Poggiali, Iannone, Simoncelli, Pasini and others.

[@vicboom1880]

8:22 he has never done it. Even in bikes

[@abrakadabra5722]

Better racing driver than you for sure ;)

[@AS19Motorsport]

@@abrakadabra5722 well that’s a shock 😂

[@rutiguer6092]

Dirty Rossi? Nop