Wayne Rainey rides again: Watch MotoGP legend’s emotional return after life-changing crash

Legendary MotoGP rider Wayne Rainey suffered life-changing injuries in 1993 which ended his prodigious career and left him paralysed from the chest down.

The American was the dominant force in the sport and won three successive titles between 1990 and 1992 and was on course for a fourth when disaster struck at Misano, Italy.

30 years on from the day that changed his life, the three-time World Champion attended the Goodwood Festival of Speed to ride a modified version of his title-winning Yamaha YZR500.

His former rivals and MotoGP Legends Mick Doohan, Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Roberts also joined him at the iconic track.

In this special programme, which anyone can watch by clicking on the player above, BT Sport’s Suzi Perry meets Rainey to discuss his career and life after that fateful day.

The powerful feature also follows Rainey as he gets back on a grand prix motorcycle for the time since 1993, with his son Rex who has never seen him ride helping him onto the bike.

Speaking to Perry, he says: “I made a mistake in Misano, Italy and that was the end of my racing career. But I remember early on, one of the things that motivated me was that I’d like to get back on the bike.

“I don’t know why I was thinking I had to do that, but it motivated me to work hard, even in the hospital.

“But after five or six months those thoughts faded away and reality sunk in. It was just surviving and living this new life that I was going to have to do.

“I never forgot about that even though here we are 30 years later and I’m actually going to throw a leg over this thing. So, I guess dreams do come true.”

Sell-out crowds flocked to witness the historic moment Rainey rode up the famous hill climb on a truly memorable occasion – and now anyone can watch the moving scenes from Goodwood.