Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi are both seven-time world champions, making them arguably the best to ever grace their respective motorsports.
Hamilton is statistically Formula 1’s most successful driver, with the most wins, podiums and pole positions in history. With seven titles, he is level with Michael Schumacher at the top of the all-time list of champions.
Winning his first title with McLaren in 2008, he moved to Mercedes in 2013 and won six titles between 2014 and 2020. Hamilton’s career puts him among the motorsport greats, but his career path could have been much different.
In a conversation with Rossi on Sky Sports, he admitted that he wanted to race motocross bikes, but his father would not allow him. But Hamilton has long been an admirer of MotoGP, and the Doctor in particular.
Joining the premier class in 2000, having won the 125cc and 250cc championships, Rossi won five consecutive titles between 2001 and 2005 with Honda and Yamaha.
He won two back-to-back with the Iwata outfit in 2008 and 2009, establishing him as one of the greatest MotoGP riders of all time. But like all great careers, it eventually came to an end in 2021.
Lewis Hamilton was ‘sad’ to see Valentino Rossi retire from MotoGP
After a failed spell at Ducati, Rossi returned to Yamaha and fought Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo for more championships. But after finishing second three times and third once, he called time on his career at the end of the 2021 season.
Hamilton had recently swapped machines with Rossi, with the Brit riding his Yamaha MotoGP bike and the Italian getting behind the wheel of the Mercedes F1 car. Speaking at the Sao Paulo GP, via Sky Sports, Hamilton reacted to Rossi’s retirement.
“It’s obviously sad to see him stopping but I think his drive, his approach, just everything he’s done has been incredible,” he said.
“The passion he’s had for so long has shone through, he’s just such a legend, one of the greatest to ever do it, if not the greatest to have done it.
“It’ll just be sad not to be watching the races and seeing him ride in style as he usually does, but I think it’s a beautiful time for him also because he’s got a family now that he’s starting to build.
“I’m grateful I’ve had the privilege to share a really special day with him on track. I’ll always remember that.”
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Lewis Hamilton has been linked with buying a MotoGP team
To this day, Hamilton remains a huge fan of MotoGP. Recently, he has been linked with investing in a team.
He was reportedly interested in a deal for Ducati satellite team Gresini, but Hamilton was turned down. The 41-year-old was also linked with KTM as they searched for investors over the winter in 2025.
Given Liberty Media’s acquisition of MotoGP from Dorna, it is no surprise to see several F1 figures express an interest in buying a team. Max Verstappen has also been linked with the MotoGP paddock, while Guenther Steiner has already assumed control of KTM Tech3.
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