Maverick is small and has large eyes like a girl, Jack thinks, but then it's been a while since he's seen a girl really, so maybe he's grasping at straws. He thinks about girls, tries to imagine soft hair and thin waists without just looking across the room. He closes his eyes in the shower and thinks only about lithe frames, shorter than him, looking up -- not Spanish, not low-voiced and creeping away, no, no, and then he has to hold his face under the water until he's not thinking of anything at all. It's not gay, not like this. It's like prison, which is almost a comfort, except that he knows their proximity is optional. He keeps on choosing Maverick. Jack continues to believe the story anyway; that he's got a couple wires crossed in his brain and is treating his roommate-turned-awkwardly-intimate-guy-friend like some kind of... like a girl.
Like, he doesn't think about it anymore, when they're sitting on the narrow couch of the motorhome, and someone's arm is around someone else's shoulder. They don't even need to be talking about anything, but when they are, it moves quickly from oh good race to and that's why I'm worried I'll never be enough in a way that reminds Jack how alone he is, was, how much he needs connection. He tells Maverick about the years in CEV, living in a trailer, lost in a whirlwind of speed, countries and names flickering by too fast to count. He tells Maverick about living in Spain even though Maverick knows what that's like, has lived there his whole life. He thinks maybe they could have been friends, if they grew up together. If they spoke each others' languages.
They're staring at the ceiling with the lights out. This is normal now, Jack thinks, both of them stretched out on the twin couches that line the minuscule living room of the motorhome. They won't sneak back to their bedrooms til midnight, and 11:30 is blinking on the analog clock on the counter when Maverick asks, "What are you thinking about, you know, after?"
"After?"
"For Moto3, will you stay, or...?"
Jack looks at Maverick. His pale skin looks blue in the dark, not fluorescent, but the greyish blue of a rough sea. Jack thinks that he hasn't seen the sea for a long while.
"No, I won't," is what Jack settles on. He's trying not to sit up, start moving his hands. "I want to move up. I thought -- I mean, KTM is so good, so I'd work with them in Moto2, and Aki said it was a good idea, but," he drags off there, unintentionally.
"But what?"
"Well you know I said I talked to VDS, and they said I'd be a good fit, they believe in me. In MotoGP."
"In MotoGP," Maverick repeats, and it sounds small, the way he says it. His voice is like that, too gentle for the rest of him.
Okay I found this Italian TV commercial starring the VR46 Academy boys! Tune in if you want to watch Luca and Cele as altar boys and Pecco on his knees confessing.
TW: Uccio. As a priest.
Apologies I could only download this poor quality video and had to alter it a little. You can find the video here.
life is hard when you thrist for a man who's had his formative years taped onto vhs. so i collected my favourite young vale video i found after scavenging the internet :)
bald vale in 250cc interview where he sounds like he's having an asthma attack
baby baby vale in the european championship
assen win in 125cc interview
lesbian vale admitting crimes on italian television
bald vale sponsoring kinder
skits he did for some reason(no clue why he did them but they are hilarious)
the ape car race
and then, of course, the one and only vale's 18th birthday video
tell me if you want the translation for some of this, because I would love to share them!!!(especially the birthday video because it's hilarious)
What If I Had Never Tried It [English/Italian/Spanish/German/Japanese/Chinese, etc.]: Vale’s only autobiography to date, translated into a lot of languages (so many that it’s hard to keep count). The English edition is notoriously rough - think spelling mistakes and some lost-in-translation moments. Despite this, yellow fans absolutely shouldn’t miss out on this gem. Published in 2006, during Vale’s zenith with five consecutive championships under his belt, the book radiates his happiness and confidence. The narrative is casual, with chapters loosely connected, but you will still find pleasure in reading this book.
MotoGenius: the Valentino Rossi biography by Mat Oxley: Oxley remains my all-time favorite Rossi author! Initially published years ago, the latest edition is available on Kindle. It’s a treasure trove of Vale anecdotes and Oxley’s unique insights, offering a glimpse into how Vale captivated his generation.
The Valentino Rossi Files: Everything I’ve ever written about VR by Mat Oxley: Available on Kindle, this collection (in two parts) encapsulates all the articles Oxley wrote about Vale for magazines and newspapers before joining Motor Sport Magazine.
Valentino Rossi: The Definitive Biography by Stuart Barker: A comprehensive biography of Vale, chronologically organized.
Valentino Rossi: Il Dio del Motociclismo by Fabio Fagnani [Italian]: Not recommended as the author’s fan-like admiration making it read more like a love letter than a biography. The only saving grace is the interview with Aldo Drudi.
Valentino Rossi: All His Races by Mat Oxley [English/German/Japanese/Serbian]: Chronicles every race of Vale’s career, enriched with exclusive interviews.
🎥 Documentaries
When asked about a movie about himself, Vale said, “If it’s a bad movie, I’d rather it didn’t exist.” He holds a similarly cautious stance towards documentaries, and has never personally produced a documentary about himself, though perhaps that might change at some point in the future.
Faster (2003) : Premiered at the Festival de Cannes during MotoGP’s golden era, this documentary intriguingly portrays the rivalry between Vale and Max Biaggi.
The Doctor, the Tornado, and the Kentucky Kid (2006) : Focuses on the 2005 season, especially the US Grand Prix, you can see the beautiful yellow livery of Yamaha’s 50th anniversary.
Fastest (2011) : A sequel to Faster.
Hitting the Apex (2015) : Arguably the best MotoGP documentary out there. Vale and Marco riding into the sunset to ‘Wish you were here’ is a poignant moment.
Valentino Rossi: The Doctor (2016) : Produced by Monster Energy, primarily illustrating how Vale expanded his empire step by step.
Racing Together (2017): MotoGP history isn’t complete without its greatest icon, Vale features for about 15 minutes.
Valentino’s Secret Room: Inside the Doctor’s Hidden Archive (2020) : Produced by Dainese, revealing Vale’s personal collection.
Ruta 46 – Ruta 93: El camino de dos mitos (2021) : Produced by DAZN España, unfortunately I haven’t seen it yet – if you have, let me know how it tells the tale.
Tales of Valentino (2021) : A nine-episode documentary series produced by Dorna, showcasing different aspects of Vale’s career through nine significant races.
RiVale | Valentino Rossi as Told by His Rivals (2021) : Produced by DAZN Italia featuring Vale’s main rivals (except Marc), sharing their stories with him.
Rossi | BT Sport Documentary on the Career of MotoGP Icon, Valentino Rossi (2022) : Produced by BT Sport following Vale’s retirement, highlighted by Suzi Perry’s captivating hosting style.
MotoGP Unlimited (2022) : No need for a lengthy introduction – it’s probably already been watched by everyone by now.