Rarified scenes these, as one of the greatest motorcycle racers to have ever lived takes on the most successful rally driver of all time, on his own turf. It’s Valentino Ross...
Not that we see that here, as The Doctor leads Loeb on-track for a showdown. Loeb shows his textbook helmsmanship, dancing the DS3 to within inches of tyre walls in a balletic display of car control. While mastery of machinery, two-wheeled or four, is near innate for Rossi and he pushes very nearly as hard as the multiple World Rally Championship winner, he can’t deliver those millisecond advantages that add up to overall wins, misjudging and bumping a tyre barrier. Elated to have even had the chance to battle Loeb, Rossi is quick to jump out of his car for a big hug with his rival at the end – anything but bitter.
