Why Francesco Bagnaia was ‘embarrassed’ meeting his ‘idol’ Valentino Rossi before his MotoGP debut

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MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi has had a huge influence on several riders’ careers with his VR46 academy. One of the talents he helped bring up to the premier class was Francesco Bagnaia.

The Italian is arguably the most successful talent that Rossi has produced from his academy. The seven-time MotoGP champion signed Bagnaia to his VR46 outfit back in 2014 during his Moto3 days.

Under Rossi’s guidance, the 28-year-old made the step up to Moto2 in 2017, winning the title the following year before stepping up to MotoGP in 2019 with Pramac. While he has not raced for the VR46 team in the premier class, it did not take long for Bagnaia to showcase his talents.

He signed with the factory Ducati team in 2021 and has been fighting for world championships ever since. After finishing runner-up that year, he claimed his two titles in 2022 and 2023, marking Ducati’s first championships since Casey Stoner in 2007.

Luigi Dall’Igna says Ducati owe Bagnaia for the success he has given the Borgo Panigale outfit. Likewise, the Italian rider has a lot to thank Rossi for and the impact he has had on his motorcycle racing career.

Francesco Bagnaia admitted he was ’embarrassed’ and ‘nervous’ meeting Valentino Rossi for the first time

Bagnaia was one of the first riders to be signed to the VR46 academy by Rossi. The pair would race against each other from 2019 to 2022, where interestingly, Rossi found Franco Morbidelli ‘more intense’ to race than Pecco due to his personality.

Speaking via the official MotoGP podcast: Last on the Brakes back in 2024, Bagnaia recalled the moment he met his ‘idol’ before signing with the academy. He remembered how he was ’embarrassed’ to meet him due to the nerves he felt.

“I remember exactly the first time I met Valentino. For everybody, [he] was their idol,” he said.

“This restaurant in Pesaro, which is the city where I’m living. I was there eating with my parents and Uccio [Salucci], Albie [Alberto Tebaldi], the academy head at that moment.

“And Valentino arrived with Carlo, our trainer. I was very nervous to meet my idol. We shook hands and it was magic for me.

“I was embarrassed, I was nervous, I was super happy. For me, it was already a great victory to be a part of the academy.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Francesco Bagnaia from net worth to race number

Valentino Rossi backed Francesco Bagnaia as the favourite in 2025 – it has not aged well

In 2025, Rossi remains involved in the MotoGP scene with his VR46 team. He has also been keeping a watchful eye on his former riders, notably Bagnaia and his efforts with Ducati.

Rossi backed Bagnaia as the favourite for the title and felt he would redeem himself from his defeat to Jorge Martin in 2024. Bagnaia said it would take ‘years’ to get over last season, and he has not really recovered since, as he looks out of the championship picture in 2025.

The 28-year-old is 168 points behind his teammate Marc Marquez with 10 races to go. He has been struggling to adapt to the GP25, which has proved a tougher bike to handle than its predecessor, with which Bagnaia won 11 races last year.

Rossi has been offering advice to Bagnaia this season in his bid to beat Marquez. The former will not want to see the Spaniard claim the title, given their intense rivalry in MotoGP.