“I am lucky that my dad did not let me go the MotoCross way” – Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Moto GP champion Valentino Rossi discuss their childhood love for Karting and MotoCross

Lewis Hamilton and Valentino Rossi talk about starting in alternative motorsport before finding their mojo in F1 and MotoGP respectively.

The Doctor Strange multi-universe movie came a bit early for the motorsports fans. Two of the greatest motorsports personalities came together again.

Valentino Rossi is among the all-time greatest Moto GP ride while Lewis Hamilton of Formula One. But did you know, they could have actually been the greatest in each other’s sport?

For real? Yes, let us look into the career crossovers both of these personalities have had before achieving stardom in motorsports.

A career in MotoCross perhaps for Lewis Hamilton?

Interacting with Valentino Rossi with their respective machines at the back, Hamilton expressed his love for bikes. He said: “I’ve been watching MotoGP for a long long time because actually, I wanted to race bikes.”

The Briton expressed that apart from karting and watching F1, he did want to shape a career in Motocross. However, Anthony Hamilton would never get him a bike so that he could focus on one thing.

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Hamilton added that he did drive the bikes anyways. He explained: “But there were other drivers who had bikes on the weekends. So when I was not out on track, I was at the back on the field, riding those MotoCross bikes. I think it was a PW80 or something like that, and my dad never let me have one.”

Growing up, the seven times world champion did dream of owning a MotoCross bike. He explained: “So I was like one day If I make some money, I am going to get a MotoCross bike. But I never dreamed that I would get on to a track riding these bikes (MotoGP) to do what you do, it’s phenomenal.”

Starting out on Karting, Ending up on Minibikes

Valentino Rossi did share his career story as well. He started on four wheels instead of the well-known two. It could have been a passing of the torch moment for the Italian as his father [Graziano Rossi] also raced in the World Championship back in the 70s.

Rossi stated: “It’s very interesting because my story is a little bit the opposite. I start with the go-kart because my father raced with a motorcycle until ’82, and after that, he stopped with motorcycles and he started with cars. So when I was growing up I always followed Graziano with the cars, and I start with the go-kart.”

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The 7 times MotoGP world champion did the race with the kart in Italy before starting out on the minibike. The biggest reason his father avoiding his son to drive the bikes was the injuries and crashes. He explained: “I raced with the kart for three-four years and after in Italy, arrived the mini bikes. I pushed a lot with my father.”

However, his wishes did come true. He started with the Japanese minibikes in 1989. The doctor explained: In Christmas of 89 I had the first minibike. So I also started with a mini bike and in the end, I raced with motorcycles. Fortunately, I say, because with go-kart I was not so bad I am better with the bikes.”