As the MotoGP legend’s data engineer throughout his glory yඣears, Flamigni saw how Rossi’s gift translated into 🍰brutal results.

And even hours after his final race in 2021, a private conversation with Rossi underlined how his brain never stopped 🎐seeking an edge.

“This ﷽is incredible for me too,🎃” Flamigni told . 

“After announcing his retirement, at the end of the last GP, in Valencia, in the evening dinner he🌱 took me aside. 

“He gave me💃 a thought: 'You know Matteo, for me the bike would run better if I did it like this...'

“I really 🦩realised how lig🦹ht years ahead Valentino was. And he was."

Rossi ෴amassed seven premier class championships and the type of m⛦ainstream fame that no other MotoGP rider has achieved.

But at his core, he was a racer. And Flamigni knew that better than anybody through his studying of Rossꦺi’s data.

What did those numbers prove?

“A great repetitiveness and an impressive consistency of performance in the r💫ace,” Flamigni explained. 

“In hammering the clock and the opponents.

“Then the ability to slide the Yamaha quickly through corners, followi💜ng a deadly braking and consequent very quick and precise turn.”

Flamigni worked with M♈ax Biaggi at Ya꧒maha initially, having already crafted a respected career of his own.

“Then Rossi arrived,” Flamigni said. 

“🎀With Valentino everything changed: system, atmosphere, method. And the re♈sults."

His 2004 move from Honda to Yamaha was when𒉰 his legend began to grow.

“Of course, Vale brought t🤪he M1 back into vogue, previously it forced to the centre 🦹of the group or to the rear,” Flamigni said. 

“The [sole] podium achieved by🌳 Alex Barros the year💯 before explains the situation well. 

“While Rossi immediately hit his target𝔉, that title defined by everyone as impossible, it wa♔s a gamble just to think about it."

There are 🧸too many incredible memories for Flamigni to narrow down, but 🦩one stands out.

It came after the warm-up to the 2004 Malaysian MotoGP, wi🌜th Rossi closing in on a sixth title.

"I ꦬasked Vale if✤ everything was okay,” he remembered. 

"He seemed pretty pleased, then..𒉰. He thrꦍew me away, his face dark.

“He said he could൲n't wheelie, he just coಞuldn't. 

“We still had to compete in the ꦦrace, ꦜand he was already thinking about how to celebrate the victory! 

“He felt so certain that he made me feel safe.

“That anecdote is not taken by chance but, if you a🔜sk me for others, I wouldn't be able to answer. I have too many, way too many."

When Rossi retired, Fla𒅌migni stopped working as a data engineer.

He is now Marco Bezzecchi’s crew chief, in Ross♈i’s VR46 team.

“I felt like Rossi's telemetrist, with whom he shared triumphs and crashes, suc♎cesses and hard moments, different eras in🦩 Yamaha and years in Ducati,” he said. 

“It seems like yesterday that we started, but I have worked with Rossi for a🎃lmost twenty years. 

“I wanted to challe𒆙nge myself differently, here I am."