Source: Yamaha Racing.

Valentino Rossi shone as a special guest at the 23rd edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. celebrated its 60th anniversary.

The nine-time World Champion was specially invited by Lord March to make his debut at this famous event as a guest star. Rossi traveled straight from the Dutch GP to the UK to be able to attend the event.

The yellow retro YZR-M1 ridden by Rossi commemorates Yamaha Motor’s 60th anniversary and the ceremony was completed by motorsport legends Kenny Roberts, Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read taking part in this celebration of Yamaha’s supreme racing heritage.

Rossi’s yellow bike was in good company at the Yamaha exhibition. Other iconic show bikes on display were Phil Read’s 1965 RD56, Giacomo Agostini’s 1975 YZR500 OW23 and Kenny Roberts’s 1978 YZR750 OW31.

The unveiling of Rossi’s bike was followed by the Doctor delighting thousands of spectators when he rode up and down the 1.86km hillclimb.

The special colour scheme of his YZR-M1 was similar to the one he and Colin Edwards sported 10 years ago when they marked Yamaha’s 50th anniversary at the Raceway Laguna Seca with a double podium.