Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner reignite MotoGP rivalry in karting day

Old MotoGP foes Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner shared a track again last weekend as the pair took part in a karting day with the VR46 Academy.

The two legends, with a combined championship total of 11 world titles, gave MotoGP one of its best rivalries in the late 2000s.

The bitterness between the pair reached a fever pitch in 2011, when Valentino Rossi crashed into Casey Stoner during a wet Spanish Grand Prix.

That led to Stoner’s infamous ‘you’re ambition outweighs your talent’ quip to the Italian.

However, over the years the pair’s relationship has thawed, with Stoner invited to the VR46 Ranch last year for a day of bike riding with Rossi and his Academy.

The pair have remained on good terms since, with Stoner speaking fondly of Rossi during a visit to the Austrian Grand Prix, before returning to the paddock again at the San Marino Grand Prix last weekend.

Following the Misano round, Rossi organised a karting day for his VR46 Academy Corridonia, with Stoner invited along.

No times have emerged from the event, which also featured the likes of Pecco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi.

Since retiring from MotoGP at the end of 2021, Rossi has taken up car racing full time, with the Italian currently competing in the LMGT3 class of the World Endurance Championship.

Rossi has helped the No.46 WRT-run BMW to multiple podiums in his two seasons in the WEC so far, while also adding GT World Challenge wins to his credit in recent years.

He will be back in action this weekend at Fuji for the six-hour WEC round in Japan, which is running at the same time as MotoGP’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Stoner dabbled in car racing following his retirement from MotoGP at the end of 2012.

The Australian took part in what is now known as Super2 in the Supercars series in his homeland, with a best finish of fifth in his sole season in 2013.

Since then, Stoner has endured a long battle with chronic fatigue syndrome, but said recently that his health has improved.

During his visit to the San Marino Grand Prix, Stoner provided some help to struggling double world champion Bagnaia during the post-race test.