Valentino Rossi is still active and closely linked to Yamaha. In fact, just a few days ago, after his race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, we saw him riding at Silverstone with a good handful of two-wheeled stars. Now, to round off a month that has made us eager for everything, he has shown up at Jerez to enjoy a legendary 500 to the fullest.
This is the 1987 Yamaha YZR500 ridden by none other than Eddie Lawson, a rider with whom he shares a certain similarity beyond being living legends of two wheels, or having won world championships in the top category with Yamaha. It is also because both made the change from the winning bike to a non-winning one, and managed to win the title on the first attempt.
For this time we lend you 😂 Quentin (Remy’s Mechanic), Matteo (Domi’s Mechanic) and Luca (Tyre&Fuel for Remy) helping @ValeYellow46 at today’s Yamaha Racing Experience! ✨️👀@yamaharacingcom pic.twitter.com/onFaCyD8Bo
— GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team (@GRTYamahaWSBK) July 3, 2024
However, while Lawson left Yamaha (in 1988) to go to Honda in 1989, Valentino did the opposite, leaving the all-powerful RC211V to win with an M1 that had been questioned until then.
But back to the present, Valentino was able to enjoy that 1987 YZR500 that we already saw rolling at Mugello last year, but also the WSBK R1 ridden by Remmy Gardner and even his own R1.
Besides Rossi and Lawson’s bike, there were other amazing bikes and riders
Valentino didn’t ride Max Biaggi’s 500, which Niccolò Bulega and Jonathan Rea did. The bike is now owned by a lucky guy we don’t know, but the Yamaha riders were able to enjoy it on the Cádiz track, as did José Luis Cardoso on the bike that was once ridden by Alex Hoffman in 2002.
It is a shame this camera is not 360 degrees as the face of the owner of the 0WL9 was an absolute picture as @NickCanepa59 He was seemingly out to set the 500cc lap record of Jerez on his bike 🤣#YRHC pic.twitter.com/jRXu4XuE85
— Yamaha Racing (@yamaharacingcom) July 3, 2024
In addition, as is usual at Yamaha Racing Heritage meetings, there were other historic bikes on the track, such as some ex-Sarrón, ex-Caladora, another ex-Lawson… A real wish list on wheels.
