Incredible Valentino Rossi “rock star” mural revealed in Tavullia

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Andrea Buglisi (@andrea__buglisi)

The mural depicts the MotoGP legend looking like David Bowie or an Andy Warhol painting, and includes a quote from a Led Zeppelin song.

It has been named “Vale, to be a rock” by the artist Andrea Buglisi.

This honour is the latest in a series of steps which will culminate in Rossi being handed the keys to his hometown by its mayor, as a celebration for his sporting accomplishments.

Buglisi, the artist of the mural, wrote a description: “This is my tribute to Valentino Rossi in his Tavullia. 

• Bagnaia on the best bike? “Everyone said Rossi only won because of Honda”

“Big and expressive eyes and golden locks like the eternal Peter Pan, Valentino also has the merit of having fascinated everyone in the world of motorcycling.

“Genius and madness, free spirit, instinct, naturalness and great communication are characteristics closer to a rock star than to an athlete. 

“Valentino has filled circuits around the world with fans, just like a star fills stadiums at his concerts. “A large face crossed by a yellow lightning bolt, a symbol of speed that winks at Andy Warhol, Chuck Close and Stanley Kubrick and recalls the great rebel icons of the youth counterculture.

“An inscription in the ‘Public Theater’ style of New York recites the famous phrase contained in the song ‘Stairway to heaven’ by Led Zeppelin: ‘To be a rock an not to roll’ and betrays Valentino's rock 'n roll nature in a sporting discipline in which, ironically, it is always better not to roll over!”

Rossi may have retired in 2021 after seven MotoGP championships but his legacy continues through the current world champion, Francesco Bagnaia, a graduate of his revered Academy.

And in Argentina last time, his Mooney VR46 team earned their first premier class win via Marco Bezzecchi.

The MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas offers Bezzecchi, who sits atop the MotoGP standings after two rounds, a chance to stretch his lead.