P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Valentino Rossi’s bewildered reaction to seeing his first-ever Yamaha has been described.
In 2004, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi made a significant move from Honda to Yamaha, which was considered one of the biggest rider moves in history. Despite doubts about leaving a title-winning bike for a less competitive machine, Rossi became iconic with Yamaha. Honda prevented him from testing the Yamaha at the 2003 postseason test, creating even higher expectations for when he could finally ride his new bike. Upon seeing the Yamaha up close for the first time, Rossi and his close friend Uccio Salucci were surprised by its appearance, describing it as poorly made and behind Honda technologically. However, Rossi’s decision to switch to Yamaha and leave Honda, despite winning the championship, defied logic and was driven by their desire for a new challenge and a change in attitude. Salucci believed that if Rossi wasn’t having fun anymore, it would lead to problems and affect their performance.
