Valentino Rossi wins in Misano and celebrates with Academy riders

Even as racer on four wheels, Rossi continues to shine at Misano. Last year, he scored his first victory in the GT World Challenge Europe championship and repeated the same today. BMW's #46 started from pole position in the first of the two scheduled Sprints, and Maxime Martin handed it over  to Valentino in that same position after a pit stop. But the Doctor had to do it the hard way in fending off attacks from the twin M4 of the WRT team driven by Vanthoor and Weerts.

Yet, Rossi still hung in there, winning the race by just 275 thousandths of a second. And his students were there to celebrate with him, because Bagnaia, Bezzecchi, Morbidelli, and Vietti didn't miss the chance to go cheer Valentino on in Misano.

"It was hard, but great. There was a lot of pressure, I decided not to think about it and, in the end, it went well," Valentino commented.

The second Sprint race will start at 9 p.m. tonight, and the Doctor will start from a 5th position on the grid. (Follow it live on the Championship's YouTube channel).