He is known as Uccio and he is the shadow of Valentino Rossi in everything he accomplished in his prolific career. It is therefore nine world titles and 115 Grand Prix victories, a record reached at the age of 39 and which also includes 232 podiums. All this brings us memories and on the eve of a San Marino Grand Prix on a Misano track considered to be home for the Doctor, it’s a great opportunity to remember some of them…
“Uccio” Salucci first talks about the beginnings: “ It's not that we didn't take it seriously at first, but let's say that it was first and foremost a hobby for us that we loved to share since we were children. We won at a very young age and we realized that we were winning more and more races. It was incredible » he explains on speedweek.
Uccio also remembers arriving at Yamaha after leaving HRC: “I had a very moving moment with Valentino during his first test with the M1. Before winning at Welkom for the first time in 2004, we had a winter full of pressure because there was a lot of expectation. The good memory comes from the first test with the Yamaha. He got off the Yamaha, looked me in the eyes and said, “We can do this.” The Japanese engineers looked at me and tried to understand what he had said ». Four titles followed with Yamaha until Red decides to move to Ducati for the 2011 season.
There, on the other hand, it didn't do it. In 2013, the return under the awning bearing the three tuning forks was topical. A return sealed by a victory at Assen the same season: “Coming back to Yamaha was great on a human level. But it wasn't so easy on a sporting level. If you return to a high-performance motorcycle after riding a less efficient one, you will have to adapt again. Plus, you're no longer used to fighting at the top. It doesn't come back immediately. But I never doubted he would win again ".
Uuccio concludes: “in the race, Valentino knows his situation down to the smallest detail. He knows who is behind him, who is in front of him, who has the soft or hard tires. Valentino is a genius when it comes to shopping ».
