Valentino Rossi to attend title-decider to support Bagnaia

A year ago the motorcycle racing legend brought down the curtain on his famous career in Valencia but now could see a product of his VR46 Academy step into his place.

Bagnaia is aiming to become the first Italian MotoGP champion since Rossi in 2009, and the first from VR46 to win in the premier class.

Rossi, now 43, is a nine-time world champion with seven in the premier class.

Bagnaia is 23 points ahead of Fabio Quartararo in the 2022 MotoGP standings heading into the season finale.

He has turned around an astonishing 91-point lead that Quartararo held.

But Bagnaia will be hoping to avoid a nightmare repeat of the 2006 finale when Rossi, who was leading the standings on the final day after overcoming a 51-point deficit, crashed and handed the title to Nicky Hayden.