Valentino Rossi got an airliner named after him. There are a lot of words in that previous sentence, so let’s unpack it a bit.
You probably already know Rossi as one of the greatest motorcycle racers to have ever pulled on a leather suit and helmet.
He’s spent virtually his entire life on two wheels and has competed in MotoGP since 2000. It’s tough to argue with the legacies of guys like Mick Doohan and Eddie Lawson, but even by their standards, Rossi is an icon.
Italians have more than great food. Some of the best coffee globally, and cute little Fiat’s. They also have a lot of beautiful sports stars to choose from.
The problem is there are so many fantastic Italian sports heroes that it was only natural ITA Airways began. To create an airliners program honouring them all across different areas of sport.
In the first batch, we saw some renowned names like footballer Paolo Rossi, Pietro Mennea, the Olympic gold medalist, and cyclist Fausto Coppi.
Valentino Rossi
It is infrequent to hear about a sports figure getting an aircraft named after them. It’s a way for the team to honour their achievements on and off the field (or court).
But in this case, the Italian airline ITA has decided to remember its accomplishments. By naming three aircraft after MotoGP legends Giacomo Agostini, Valentino Rossi and Marco Simoncelli.
All three have had numerous records set during their racing careers, with Rossi, being the highest earner in racing history. After winning his ninth title this year, Rossi announced that he would be hanging up his leathers to pursue other interests.
The company’s newest aircraft arrives after Valentino Rossi. This collaboration is even more remarkable because they created a blue and white livery for the plane with his number, and we could see his name on the front side near the front door.
Rossi posted these photos on his Facebook, saying, “So lovely to see my name on your plane! Happy to be part of the Blue Legends of ITA Airways. Thank you, #itaairways. ”
via Moto. it
