'Can we beat these Spaniards?' Italian President asks Valentino Rossi at Winter Olympics

The former face of MotoGP and considered by many to be the greatest rider of all time, Rossi was honoured during the opening ceremony with a cameo as a tram driver where he assisted Mattarella on his journey to commence the games.

In an interview with Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, Rossi revealed what the President asked him regarding the 2026 MotoGP season:

"He asked me how we’re doing in the MotoGP World Championship. How’s Bagnaia? I reassured him, telling him it’ll be tough, but Pecco seems motivated and ready to have a great season.

Bagnaia, who is likely the Italians' best hope at dethroning Marc Marquez for the MotoGP crown this year, suffered a torrid run of form throughout the 2025 season, amassing just two race victories and a total of six DNFs in the last seven races.

Elsewhere, Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi will be looking to mount a charge after he finished the season strongly. The Italian manufacturers recently rewarded 'Bez' with a multi-year contract extension in recognition of his solid performances.

The two-time MotoGP world champion struggled to adapt to the arrival of Marc Marquez as his factory teammate and was all but destroyed in the overall standings by the season's end.

Few riders will have been looking forward to the winter break more than Bagnaia, who was keen to reset his mentality ahead of a fresh start in 2026.

Following the recent Sepang test, Ducati boss Tardozzi reflected positively on Pecco's renewed mindset and seemed optimistic regarding the Italian's form during the sessions.