Sunday was the day many wished would never arrive as Valentino Rossi called time on his 26-year MotoGP career at Valencia.

The Grand Prix legend lined up for his 432nd world championship start from 10th on the grid, a position he would cross the line in, 27-laps later. A stunning performance saw the 42-year-old maintain pace throughout, duelling initially with the new world champion Fabio Quartararo before conceding places to Johann Zarco and Enea Bastianini.

Tailed by VR46 Academy and fellow Yamaha rider Franky Morbidelli in the second half, the pair picked up pace. The Roman admitting post-race he considered attempting to pass his mentor but Rossi was ‘so fast and so un-attackable’.

Pleased with his performance - while obviously a shadow of his former glory days - Rossi confirmed he had hoped to bow out on a high, and was delighted to have run with ‘the top 10 riders in the world’ for his final race.

“Yes, was a really, really special weekend and I don’t expect, like this,” the delighted Italian explained after the immense and multiple celebrations had died down.

“I was a bit worried about the last weekend of my career - because you always think of this moment for a long time, and you always don’t know how you will feel or if you’re able to stay concentrated on the race, and also if you are very sad and everything, but was great!

“Was a great weekend from Thursday,” he continued. “I receive a lot of surprises, from the bikes of the championships, and also my riders, the riders of the Academy that use my helmets, was very emotional. Also a great support and great respect from all the people from the paddock and from all the MotoGP riders - I have to thank them, is very important. Is not so easy. Is not so normal, I think.

“Especially it was a great weekend, already from yesterday I ride well and today in the race, I was able to arrive in the top 10. It means that I close my long career with the top 10 riders in the world. This is so important for me, means a lot and I can use this result for a long time because I can say that in my last race I finished in the top 10.

“I feel very good also because after the race we did the some serious celebrating and we enjoy like we win the championship. It’s something that I will never forget.”

The final weekend provided a veritable feast of surprises and commemorations for the nine-time world champion, including the presentation and display of each of his title-winning machines. His VR46 Riders Academy members surprised him by competing in Sunday’s Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP races wearing a different replica helmet spanning his most iconic designs, while childhood hero Ronaldo appeared in the Petronas Yamaha box ahead of the race, staying on to wave the chequered flag as Rossi concluded his illustrious career.

“The helmets and the bikes are the two that I prefer,” Rossi said of his plentiful celebrations, “and also the hug with all the MotoGP riders in the press conference and also after the race. To stay also all together there is fantastic.

“But the better thing is the helmets from my riders from the Academy, because for me it was a surprise and I was really, really happy. The emotion yesterday when they showed me… was a great idea.

“Also Ronaldo! Ronaldo is my idol, apart from the motorsport is the best sportsman for me. He gave me a lot of emotion when I went to San Siro to follow him in Milano. I think that Ronaldo give to me the same feeling that I give to my best fans. So with Ronaldo I understand more to stay on the other side and today was very emotional.”

For Rossi, 2021 proved a challenging season, the first ever without a single podium visit - for a man with 235 to his name, 199 from the premier class - as he moved from the factory Yamaha team that he remains synonymous with, to the satellite Petronas squad. Despite having achieved a highest finish of eighth in Austria, ‘The Doctor’ described his final dance as his ‘best race of the year’.

“First of all, we work well with my team and yesterday, already from the morning, the bike was really improved from Friday and I start to feel better from FP3 and this is very important. From Saturday to Sunday we improve and yesterday also Pecco help me to stay in the top 10 and go direct to the Q2. To start in the top 10 you can do really another race.

“Today I feel the motivation and the concentration like if I have to play for the championship. Because the last race is the last race and is very important. You will never forget. It’s not easy because already from Monday I have a lot of pressure, a lot of things to do, but I want to try. For me the most important is try to be strong in the race, because I’m still a rider and for me is a great emotion today. I ride very well. I never make any mistakes and I give the maximum from the beginning to the end.

“In the last races, we improve a lot the bike and we work well together with all the team. Sincerely, they give to me fantastic support because the season was long and it was that not easy. Was a crucial season for me to decide if I continue, but the result doesn’t arrive and so it’s very easy when you say ‘Okay, I stop’ to give up.

“In Portugal, we speak together and I say ‘Fuck, in Valencia we have to give the maximum because it’s the last race and I want to make the maximum because that track is the worst track for me and I don’t want to arrive last’. But was more positive than what we expect, finishing in the top 10 today. I think that this is the best race of my season and I enjoy very much!”

While the time for reflection may still be ahead of him, Rossi briefly looked back at his incredible career, spanning over a quarter of a century - longer than most of his Academy riders have even been alive.

“The first thing that I regret is that it is finished,” he admitted. “I think that this weekend is like the last weekend of the season, not the last weekend of my career. So I think that it will be more difficult in the future, in the next weeks, in the next month and especially March when they restart and I would be not there.

“For sure I wanted to try to win the 10th championship but I cannot regret about my result and about the nine championships. I think that if I put the effort of the last 10 years also in the first years, I can win also more than what I win. But I think is normal that when you are more young, you are more a dickhead. This is something that you learn just with the experience. But apart from this, I’m very happy and today was a great final.

“I am a great supporter of all our riders,” he continued, as he turned his attention to the future of MotoGP, the one he has helped to shape in every way.

“Next year we will have a four riders in MotoGP - Franky and Pecco with the Yamaha and with the Ducati factory, and Luca [Marini] and Bez [Marco Bezzecchi] with our team. I hope that one of these guys and I think that Pecco, but also Franco, can fight for the championship next year. And I hope that between all the guys can arrive the new superstar of MotoGP.”