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The breaking of the crown is a moment of videoconference and video interview. Yamaha brought together its factory MotoGP and Motocross riders. Presenter Amy Dargan spoke to Valentino Rossi and French MXGP rider Gautier Paulin about motocross, flat track, MotoGP, and life as a parent.
“All the riders at the World Road Championship are also big fans of motocross and many riders train on the motocross track,” said Rossi. Paulin and Rossi met at a Yamaha event in Barcelona last year. “When I have time to attend a MotoGP race, it is difficult to meet Vale,” reports Paulin from his own experience.
Rossi trains motocross on his own ranch. It also regularly invites featured guests. His friend Antonio Cairoli already showed him several tricks in his course. “The route can cover three different disciplines. We have a smooth and easy cross route, then we have a flat oval track and around the outside we have created a 2.5 km long street course. The surface is smooth and offers little grip. The substructure is very hard. It is made of concrete with a bed of gravel in which the earth is filled. A lap is quite long, we need more than two minutes per lap ».
Paulin became team world champion five times with the France team. “Nations are something unique,” enthuses Rossi. If there was a race like the Nations down the road, who would you want as a teammate? “I would like to drive in a team with Franco Morbidelli and Andrea Dovizioso.”
At 41, Valentino is still on top of the world at the highest level. Paulin turned 30 in March. Could he imagine going on as long as Rossi? “Valentino is like a monument,” explains the French. “I don’t know. You should continue as long as you can set new goals for yourself. But as soon as you start thinking about something other than the next race, or what you could do next, you’re out. Then it’s better to stop. But to be honest I don’t think I’m still behind an MXGP start gate at 40, but who knows?
“At 30 you can’t know how long you will drive,” says Rossi. «You still have a lot of strength and energy. It all depends on your own motivation and whether you are ready to improve from one career to another. If you have enough concentration and passion, you can continue.
However, ‘Vale’ made a crucial difference between MotoGP and MXGP. “Motocross is physically more difficult than street racing. MotoGP is also physically demanding, but motocross is the most difficult thing you can do on a motorcycle.
Two races have already been completed in the World Motocross Championship. “We had a very short winter break because the World Cup started very early,” says Paulin. “We had little time to test. I was able to train well during Corona’s break. But it’s mentally difficult if you don’t know when to turn the switch back on. Around 10 people per pilot are active in the paddock during a race for the world championship, which is a total of many people. We have countries like Russia, Latvia, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Indonesia, Argentina and China on the calendar ».
“Everyone wants to drive,” adds Rossi, “from Formula 1 to MotoGP. If there are no new problems, I hope we can drive in the second half of the year, perhaps in July or August. I think there will be fewer races and fewer people in the “It will probably result in a shorter season, maybe 8-10 runs. But I think it’s better than having to cancel the entire season.”
“At the moment there are no canceled races at the World Motocross Championship,” adds Paulin. The races were only postponed. But we know that some races will not be feasible. So we hope there will be a similar solution in Motocross as in MotoGP ».
“Driving a race every week like in the United States is going to be difficult,” says Rossi. During Corona’s time, Rossi also likes to hang out on Playstation and compete against his brother and friends. “We already have a real championship,” smiles the Italian.
Finally, Paulin is excited about his one-year-old daughter. «It is a positive change in my life. I see it grow now. There are no words for that. “
Can Rossi also imagine her own children? “Fortunately, my girlfriend is still very young, so I still have some time. On the other hand, I’m already 41 years old, so I don’t have that much time. I want children, but I still feel like 20, not like 40. I always wait for the moment when I’m ready for it, but it’s not like that. No, no, everyone should try to have a child. After all, these are great feelings.
In the end, Rossi Paulin invites him to his ranch in Italy: “We will have a good time there,” he says. “Hopefully we can go back to racing soon.”
The long-term video chat:
