Rossi has cemented himself as the greatest GP rider in history. No other rider lives rent-free in the heads of people who follow the sport. It's 2024, Rossi is long retired... yet there isn't anything or anyone more entertaining to talk about than Mr. Valentino Rossi. Three years after Marquez retires, he wont dominate the threads of racing forums. He'll be mentioned from time to time, but without Rossi as an antagonist nobody really cares to debate about MM for years after he's gone.
To be fair here MV, I can guarantee you that Rossi does not live rent free in my head, but unfortunately and much like bloody Harry and Meagan or currently in Australia damn Taylor Swift, we are forced to have them thrust into our heads by media as these people sell copy and advertising space.
Without Rossi, some of the sycophantic media struggles and they will find a way to bring him into conversations about the bloody moon landing if they can/could.
One issue that will also impact is that he remains involved in the sport via his team and academy and is constantly on display in the paddock in some form. FFS he just raced a 12 hour race at Bathurst and was a highly discussed car driver, all based purely on 'brand Rossi' of years past.
As for living in people's heads I suspect a few riders do - as an example, watch the vitriol for anything Stoner says and how rapidly he is dismissed for responding to a question (Several english language based forums), with the dismissal based on people's perception. May not get the same level of media as one 'brand Rossi' but Stoner, Marquez, Lorenzo etc are all living in heads.
The one's that are seemingly not living in heads are the likes of Doohan, Rainey, Schwantz, the old hard-heads who are not being referenced.
Every time Rossi switched teams it was the #1 message board topic and continued to be the dominate discussions throughout the season. He does in fact live rent-free in the minds that follow the sport. There have been numerous GP riders that might as well never bothered to race because they're long forgotten, never to be mentioned again unless there was a particular time that Rossi got the best of them. Rossi will always be the center of attention, fans/haters just can't let him go. Motorcycle racing cannot be discussed without Rossi being at the center of the discussion.
It was and can but is difficult as he remains involved via teams and academy where many others just shrink away to relative obscurity through choice and not being further involved/engaged in the sport.
Rossi will remain in the spotlight as he sells copy and makes money for people mentioning him in articles etc due to the brand he built. He is a business, much like Apple and/or others who have developed a seeming cult of obsession with a product by use of excessive media to create a perception of need for that product which is not to disparage as the business brand he has built is a model for others to attempt.
I am no fan of rossi, and for me, he did some things in the sport that are not worth celebrating but he also built a brand or personality that transcended across many areas and due to his brand he introduced many more people to MotoGP by giving something interesting to get their attention. My own personal opinion is that was both a good and bad thing but we also need to recognise that as soon as he was no longer useful to Carmelo, he was dumped.
The sport has, is and always will move on but it does not forget. This does not make the past 'rent free living in someones head' but rather is part of history
edited. a few typos, probably missed more
