Valentino Rossi out: at Silverstone, they don’t use turns of phrase

Circuit director: “Sorry for the small audience when Valentino Rossi announced his retirement…”

Silverstone circuit director Stuart Pringle, in an interview with Speedweek, blamed much of the collapse of the MotoGp crowd on Valentino Rossi’s farewell. At the British Grand Prix only 40,000 people flocked, far less than half the F1 turnout: “It was a beautiful sunny day and I’m sorry we had such a small crowd. I think the promoters, authorities and TV stations need to work on it, because it’s a shame to see the grandstands empty.”

Valentino Rossi’s farewell has yet to be digested: “Dorna knows they have a big job ahead of them and we all noticed that last year. When Valentino announced his retirement, we saw what happened with ticket sales. All the fans who come to watch the races are still wearing his jerseys, so it’s clear that he’s the most popular guy even though he’s no longer racing. We have to figure out how to act.”