The overtake Valentino Rossi made at 37 years old that showed he was still a ‘demon’ with Yamaha in MotoGP

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Across a 22-year career in the premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Valentino Rossi pulled off some incredible moves on two-wheels, including a double overtake that put him behind his fierce rival Marc Marquez at the 2016 Catalan Grand Prix.

The Catalan Grand Prix stands alongside the Dutch TT as the site of Valentino Rossi’s most dominant race tracks. The nine-time world champion has won each race for a record of 10 times, matching Giacomo Agostini’s previous Grand Prix record.

The 2016 season came after the heated events surrounding Jorge Lorenzo’s title triumph the year prior. Rossi infamously kicked out at Marquez in the penultimate round of the season, severely hindering the Italian’s title chances heading into the final race in Valencia.

Rossi believed Marquez was purposely backing him up in the previous race, and favouring Lorenzo’s title push over his own.

Valentino Rossi’s double overtake at the 2016 Catalan Grand Prix showed he was still at the top of his game

The 2016 Catalan Grand Prix showcased Rossi’s advantage on the Spanish circuit perfectly, as he started from sixth on the grid and carved his way past his rivals in front of him to take his second win of the season with Yamaha, ahead of rival Marquez.

With three Spaniards in Lorenzo, Marquez and Dani Pedrosa locking out the front row at their home Grand Prix, Rossi had it all to do when the lights went out. He quickly got down to work, producing a hair-raising double overtake on Pedrosa and fellow Italian Andrea Iannone on the second lap of the race.

MotoGP commentators Nick Harris and Matt Birt were star-struck by the move, with Harris reacting to it at the time by exclaiming, “Wow. Vinales tried to fight back. Iannone thought he might have a little grab of this, but at 37 years old, [Rossi]’s still got every inch of his body honed to Grand Prix racing.”

Birt chimed in with his thoughts on the overtake, saying, “Rossi was an absolute demon on the brakes at the end of that back straight.

“He didn’t have the horsepower to outdrag Iannone on the Ducati down into the first corner, but he just left his braking so, so late up the inside of Iannone and Vinales. What a move by Rossi.”

Marc Marquez managed to fend off Valentino Rossi to take his third MotoGP title

Rossi went on to dispatch Marquez and Lorenzo ahead of him rather easily over the ensuing laps, taking the chequered flag in Catalunya for the ninth time of his Grand Prix career.

Eventually, Rossi was thwarted by Marquez in the title fight, with the Spaniard’s consistency in getting himself on the podium being the deciding difference by the time the final round in Valencia took place in November of 2016.

It marked another season of MotoGP fans witnessing Rossi and Marquez go at it with each other. Despite their differences, the two riders are more alike than they choose to believe. Rossi and Marquez share an ‘important’ trait that subconsciously prepares them to ride at their highest ability.

Rossi’s second-place finish in the 2016 season would mark the final time he finished as the overall runner-up in the championship. Only the 2018 season would see him in contention again, where he finished third.