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Think the “VR46 Fan Club” is just about showing their colors at the racetrack during a Grand Prix? Think again...
By Manuel Pecino
Every MotoGP race fan has surely seen—in person or on TV or video—Valentino Rossi’s large and highly visible fan club at numerous events on the calendar. It’s difficult to overlook a hillside or grandstand seemingly awash in yellow, organized by devoted followers of The Doctor who have supported him since the very beginning of his Grand Prix career. In fact, this season the VR46 Fan Club celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Rossi’s charisma has swelled the membership of the fan club to become one of the most popular worldwide. For example, in 2014 at Sepang, up to 7,000 hardcore Rossi fans filled a whole section of grandstands; it was an amazing view that thrilled even Rossi himself. In Misano, the devotees numbered around 4,500 people. Extremely well-organized, efficient, and friendly, the VR46 Fan Club organizers intend to have a Valentino Rossi grandstand at every GP for next season.
But this story isn’t about what the VR46 Fan Club does at the circuits—it’s about what the organization does away from the flash and glamour of the GP scene. And much of this wasn’t known because Rossi and the VR46 Fan Club didn’t intend to have any of this publicized in the media. It was first disclosed through a casual conversation during the wait for a practice session to begin at some racing circuit somewhere in the world. But delving deeper reveals the human side of a world-renowned star and the people behind the VR46 Fan Club.
The VR46 Fan Club regularly visits hospitals in Europe for children with a serious or terminal illness. With Rossi obviously a very popular and loved sports figure, for these children to receive a special VR46 gift box including a yellow #46 t-shirt, a cap, a flag, a whistle, a scarf and other articles means a special moment of joy in their hard and sad days, and allows them to forget their misfortune for a time. Due to obvious reasons, Rossi himself can’t go on this visits—most of the time he is traveling—but for each of these visits he films a special “hello” video for the children.
During these visits, some kids are chosen to be a guest at a Grand Prix, normally in Italy, but some other countries as well. These children usually spend Thursdays at the track with the fan club, sometimes sharing a midday meal with Valentino, visiting the team’s pitbox and so on. But it goes much deeper than that. Here are two examples of just how far and important this initiative can go:
An 8-year-old boy suffering from leukemia, Matteo had been chosen to visit the Movistar Yamaha paddock at Mugello during the Italian GP to be held at the end of May. But a few weeks before the start of the season, the fan club was contacted by the hospital to inform them that his illness had gotten worse. Flavio Fratesi, the president of Rossi’s fan club, was also told that Matteo had “given up.” Tiring of the battle, he didn’t want to undergo bone marrow surgery, the only one that could give him a chance to beat the disease.
Conscious of the situation, Fratesi talked to the boy and offered him a deal: the season was due to start in a few days at Qatar, and Rossi had a good chance to finish on the podium. So he promised Matteo he would bring the trophy that Rossi earned to the hospital—but in exchange, Matteo had to accept undergoing the surgery he needed.
When Rossi won in Losail at the season’s first GP, that same night Fratesi got a message on his phone from Matteo’s parents saying their son had asked to tell him he was ready for surgery. The following Monday after Rossi’s spectacular win in Qatar, Matteo had his photo taken with the winning trophy in his hospital room—happy, motivated, and with a smile on his face (NOTE: We asked for the photo of Matteo with “his trophy” for this story, but were declined by the VR46 Fan Club because Fratesi said these initiatives are “done from the heart.”).
We were told that the surgery went well, and Matteo has a new appointment to meet Rossi at Mugello. He wants to make it, but if not he has a standing invitation for Misano in September. As Fratesi explained, “now he has a motivation, a target, something that these kind of children miss. For them there is no long term future, they don’t think in one year or months ahead…now Matteo has something to grab on every day he wakes up.”
It’s a therapy that goes beyond just the initial receiving of gifts. “And we have the especially sick kids responsible for distributing the kits between the other children in their hospitals. The doctors say to do so helps motivates these kids. For them, the future does not count, just moments, and we want to help them have special moments.”
The other story involves Alexandra, a French girl who was first able to visit Rossi at the French GP—”when Valentino was racing with the Repsol-painted RCV”—so this means quite a few years ago (Rossi last rode on the Repsol Honda team in 2003). At that time she was very sick and was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
As with Matteo, she abandoned any hope or wish to continue fighting. She left school and was simply waiting for things to happen. Being familiar with the situation, the members of Rossi’s fan club decided to motivate her…so she was invited to Tavullia, Rossi’s hometown. She stayed there for three days sharing the day-by-day life with the fan members and with Rossi himself. They also put her to work in the fan club, preparing their fan boxes for the hospitals and so on.
Alexandra found the motivation to start fighting back during those days. Supported by the environment and a special promise made back then, she not only went back to school upon returning to France, but soon graduated high school.
What was that special promise made to Alexandra? When she graduated, the fan club members traveled to her home in France and presented her with one of Rossi’s actual race helmets. Fratesi still gets excited when he remembers the scene. “We met Alexandra, who normally is in a wheelchair, standing at the door frame waiting for what for her was a unique gift…” Today Alexandra is president of Rossi’s fan club in France.
“Because of things like this”, said Fratesi with a laugh, “I have told Valentino he has to race until he is 50!”
Our sport is one that is exciting, wonderful, entertaining—it’s a source of great satisfaction for all of us. But knowing that its influence can make a difference in the greater good of people’s lives should make us even more proud of it.
By Manuel Pecino
Every MotoGP race fan has surely seen—in person or on TV or video—Valentino Rossi’s large and highly visible fan club at numerous events on the calendar. It’s difficult to overlook a hillside or grandstand seemingly awash in yellow, organized by devoted followers of The Doctor who have supported him since the very beginning of his Grand Prix career. In fact, this season the VR46 Fan Club celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Rossi’s charisma has swelled the membership of the fan club to become one of the most popular worldwide. For example, in 2014 at Sepang, up to 7,000 hardcore Rossi fans filled a whole section of grandstands; it was an amazing view that thrilled even Rossi himself. In Misano, the devotees numbered around 4,500 people. Extremely well-organized, efficient, and friendly, the VR46 Fan Club organizers intend to have a Valentino Rossi grandstand at every GP for next season.
But this story isn’t about what the VR46 Fan Club does at the circuits—it’s about what the organization does away from the flash and glamour of the GP scene. And much of this wasn’t known because Rossi and the VR46 Fan Club didn’t intend to have any of this publicized in the media. It was first disclosed through a casual conversation during the wait for a practice session to begin at some racing circuit somewhere in the world. But delving deeper reveals the human side of a world-renowned star and the people behind the VR46 Fan Club.
The VR46 Fan Club regularly visits hospitals in Europe for children with a serious or terminal illness. With Rossi obviously a very popular and loved sports figure, for these children to receive a special VR46 gift box including a yellow #46 t-shirt, a cap, a flag, a whistle, a scarf and other articles means a special moment of joy in their hard and sad days, and allows them to forget their misfortune for a time. Due to obvious reasons, Rossi himself can’t go on this visits—most of the time he is traveling—but for each of these visits he films a special “hello” video for the children.
During these visits, some kids are chosen to be a guest at a Grand Prix, normally in Italy, but some other countries as well. These children usually spend Thursdays at the track with the fan club, sometimes sharing a midday meal with Valentino, visiting the team’s pitbox and so on. But it goes much deeper than that. Here are two examples of just how far and important this initiative can go:
An 8-year-old boy suffering from leukemia, Matteo had been chosen to visit the Movistar Yamaha paddock at Mugello during the Italian GP to be held at the end of May. But a few weeks before the start of the season, the fan club was contacted by the hospital to inform them that his illness had gotten worse. Flavio Fratesi, the president of Rossi’s fan club, was also told that Matteo had “given up.” Tiring of the battle, he didn’t want to undergo bone marrow surgery, the only one that could give him a chance to beat the disease.
Conscious of the situation, Fratesi talked to the boy and offered him a deal: the season was due to start in a few days at Qatar, and Rossi had a good chance to finish on the podium. So he promised Matteo he would bring the trophy that Rossi earned to the hospital—but in exchange, Matteo had to accept undergoing the surgery he needed.
When Rossi won in Losail at the season’s first GP, that same night Fratesi got a message on his phone from Matteo’s parents saying their son had asked to tell him he was ready for surgery. The following Monday after Rossi’s spectacular win in Qatar, Matteo had his photo taken with the winning trophy in his hospital room—happy, motivated, and with a smile on his face (NOTE: We asked for the photo of Matteo with “his trophy” for this story, but were declined by the VR46 Fan Club because Fratesi said these initiatives are “done from the heart.”).
We were told that the surgery went well, and Matteo has a new appointment to meet Rossi at Mugello. He wants to make it, but if not he has a standing invitation for Misano in September. As Fratesi explained, “now he has a motivation, a target, something that these kind of children miss. For them there is no long term future, they don’t think in one year or months ahead…now Matteo has something to grab on every day he wakes up.”
It’s a therapy that goes beyond just the initial receiving of gifts. “And we have the especially sick kids responsible for distributing the kits between the other children in their hospitals. The doctors say to do so helps motivates these kids. For them, the future does not count, just moments, and we want to help them have special moments.”
The other story involves Alexandra, a French girl who was first able to visit Rossi at the French GP—”when Valentino was racing with the Repsol-painted RCV”—so this means quite a few years ago (Rossi last rode on the Repsol Honda team in 2003). At that time she was very sick and was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.
As with Matteo, she abandoned any hope or wish to continue fighting. She left school and was simply waiting for things to happen. Being familiar with the situation, the members of Rossi’s fan club decided to motivate her…so she was invited to Tavullia, Rossi’s hometown. She stayed there for three days sharing the day-by-day life with the fan members and with Rossi himself. They also put her to work in the fan club, preparing their fan boxes for the hospitals and so on.
Alexandra found the motivation to start fighting back during those days. Supported by the environment and a special promise made back then, she not only went back to school upon returning to France, but soon graduated high school.
What was that special promise made to Alexandra? When she graduated, the fan club members traveled to her home in France and presented her with one of Rossi’s actual race helmets. Fratesi still gets excited when he remembers the scene. “We met Alexandra, who normally is in a wheelchair, standing at the door frame waiting for what for her was a unique gift…” Today Alexandra is president of Rossi’s fan club in France.
“Because of things like this”, said Fratesi with a laugh, “I have told Valentino he has to race until he is 50!”
Our sport is one that is exciting, wonderful, entertaining—it’s a source of great satisfaction for all of us. But knowing that its influence can make a difference in the greater good of people’s lives should make us even more proud of it.
