The protégée, Pecco Bagnaia, celebrated his mentor’s final race in the best way possible at Valencia on Sunday, with victory.

As Valentino Rossi bowed out of his legendary career, the student had very much stepped into his master’s shoes. Six pole positions and nine podiums - and among them four wins - left Bagnaia second in the MotoGP Championship on his first year in factory Ducati colours. The Bologna manufacturer also collecting the team and constructors title after an impressive 2021 season.

But despite their success, Sunday’s celebrations were still just about one person for the young Italian.

“Yes, the most important thing was to celebrate him [Rossi[ in the best way possible,” Bagnaia explained from the post-race press conference. “With my favourite helmet he did in the past, the most significant, I think. Because in 2004 he won with Yamaha, was not easy and he won so for me was the nicest one for the story that this helmet had so I chose this one and today was the best way possible to celebrate him, winning in his last race. Was also very nice the hug after the chequered flag, we shared a lot of emotion there, so I'm very happy.

“Vale for us is a friend, a big brother, and help us a lot every time, so was also for what he have done for us and what he's doing for us every day. So is the minimum possible. Yesterday I tried to help him in the qualifying, today he was with me on the top of the podium so for me is a great day.

“I don't know why but in the last two races, I started very bad,” he continued, reflecting on his race. “This time, I was fourth in the first corner. I don't know why so I have to work maybe a bit on that point.

“But then I was knowing that our pace was very competitive. I started overtaking Jack, that did a mistake in the last corner - because today last corner and turn two were very, very tricky. But then I started to follow Jorge. I was seeing that my pace was a bit better and when I saw that he was going a bit slower and Joan [Mir] behind was recovering the gap I try to overtake him and push. I'm happy about this win because in a track where I never felt great, we did a step in front and to win today means a lot.”

The victory headed an all-Ducati podium, for the first time in the championships’ history. Bagnaia’s run of form in the second half of the season was equally impressive, with six podiums from eight races, four of them on the top step. With 2022 effectively starting on Thursday at the Jerez test, the future looks bright.

“I hope!” he admitted. "No, for sure we will start with more confidence because now we know that we can win. The bike was the same of last year more or less. What we changed I think is that a not turning bike becomes a turning bike. So now is incredible, our bike. We worked a lot with all the riders this year, so with a different mind we change the bike that was more difficult and now it's so competitive and I think the riders that are using Ducati are incredible. So we are a great team.

"I hope that the bike of next year will be just better than this one, but this one is already a perfect bike in this moment, but just because we improved a lot this bike. This is something where Ducati need to think because with the same bike of last year - last year, we were struggling more and this year in the last part of this season, we were always competitive, in qualifying and in the race. So I think that maybe not too much things have to change but I'm sure that if Gigi decided and all the engineer decided to do something is just because are better so I'm not scared about what we expect on Thursday.”