#2005 jerez

[batsplat]

Jerez 2005 | Misano 2019: Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez celebrate victory on enemy soil amid booing from the spectators

[vetteldixon]

daily seb 342/365

[drvscarlett]

About You Pt1

Pairing: Sebastian Vettel x Webber!Reader

Summary: Everyone knows about the history of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. But there's a well kept story within the paddock about Sebastian Vettel and another Webber. This is that story.

A/N: I know I said that its a whole one shot only but I don't think that I can do it. I have to cut it because there is a lot of history. I hope you all enjoy.

About You Series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Taglist: @spideybv28 @randomcuboidshape @mehrmonga @casperlikej @cliosunshine

2005, Circuito de Jerez

The earliest memory that Y/N has of Sebastian Vettel was watching him test the Williams-BMW car.

It was her first time accompanying Mark and she was still grasping some of the key concepts of Formula 1 when Sebastian headed to the car. She watched how he drives and how the team were discussing about how he is a potential driver for the seasons to come.

"You know Seb is just a year older than you" Nico Rosberg, who has been keeping you company for the testing that afternoon, stated.

"Then that will make him the youngest driver if he enters Formula 1"Y/N mused.

Y/N didn't know but she was pretty excited to see him on track. She knew that this Sebastian will change a lot of things in F1 and will probably make history. At the same time, she can't help but be a bit worried since its a dangerous sports. One second you can be living the dream and then the next you find yourself recovering in a hospital room.

Sebastian Vettel gets out of the car and lifts his visor. There was a certain spark in his eyes that Y/N didn't miss out. Its the spark that showcase how much he loved to race.

Y/N didn't miss how her heart skipped a beat.

2006, Istanbul Park

The next time that Y/N sees Sebastian Vettel was during the free practice. He was a Friday driver for BMW-Sauber and he is as impressive as the day she first saw him in Spain.

"That kid just set out the fastest lap" her brother, Mark was shocked by the time set by Sebastian.

"That kid has a name" Y/N stated "and its Sebastian"

"Oh how come you are so informed about this missy?" he wondered

"He drove with you in testing season last year remember" Y/N replied.

The replay on the screen showcases the bold moves that were made by Sebastian. It was like he was driving like he is a man on a mission. If Y/N will bet, there is a lot of teams that will be shortlisting his name to their team.

"What do you think about him?"

"A little bit of reckless, I mean 6 seconds in your formula 1 career and you already have a penalty. There must be some kind of record for that" Mark was referring to the speeding penalty that Sebastian received as soon as he left the garage.

Y/N mumbles a small hmm as she continues to watch how Sebastian moves around the track. She was sure that sooner or later, she might see Sebastian more often.

2007, Albert Park

Fridays aren't too crowded as the Sunday races but still there was a bit of pressure in Sebastian Vettel's shoulder as he entered Albert Park.

He walked the paddocks and tried to visualize himself not just a Friday driver but an actual driver for the Sunday races. He pictures the screaming crowd chanting his name, the smell of burning rubber, radio messages from the team, and even being at the podium with the champagne.

In his daydreaming, he didn't realize that he bumped into someone. All he saw was that a girl was down on the ground with papers all over.

"I'm terribly sorry. I was not looking where I was going" he apologized.

"I'm equally at fault too"The woman assured "It was not wise to type and walk especially since this whole place is swarming with people"

Sebastian helped the girl compiling the papers and he noticed how the papers seem to be like contract for sponsorship. He looked at her and tried to identify which team did she belong to but her lack of team merchandise makes it difficult.

"You're new here?"he tries to decode.

"No, I'm not. I've been coming here since 5 years ago" there was an accent in her voice. Australian, if Sebastian was right.

"Huh, you must know your way around this whole place"

She takes a closer look at him, "You're that rookie Sebastian Vettel"

Now Sebastian doesn't have a huge following that he knows of and this is probably the first time that someone outside the family knew about him. Now, he felt even more curious about the girl.

"How did you know my name"

"Hard not to especially when you set a record to having the fastest penalty in their f1 career" she joked.

Normally Sebastian will be annoyed by the reminder of his mistake last year. He choose to forget that small mishap and avoid talking about it. But this time, he felt like the giggling is contagious that he can't help but smile when talking about his mistake.

"I assure you that I'm a much more better driver now" he states, holding up his hand as if saying that he swears he is a better a driver now.

"Hoping to see you deliver Vettel" she grins.

The girl started walking away from Sebastian when it occured to him that he didn't even know her name. He rushed to catch up with her.

"Wait, I didn't get your name"

She looked at him and there seems to be a slight hesitation

"If we meet again in a formula 1 race then I'll tell you my name" then the girl walked out of his sight.

2007, Indianopolis track.

It seems that luck has been on Y/N's side because she managed to avoid Sebastian during the past races. But it seems as if this luck is running out slowly since they are bound to meet up this weekend as Sebastian was bumped from reserve driver to formula 1 driver due to the injury that Kubica sustained in Canada.

She was hanging out at one of the coffee machines when she felt somebody tap her shoulder. She gave him a smile upon recognizing him.

"Sebastian Vettel, shouldn't you be preparing in your f1 car now?"

There was a loopy grin on his face, "Mystery woman, I was beginning to think if you are just a figment of my imagination.

Y/N pressed the hot cup to his hands, "I'm very much real and not just a figment of your mind"

"So will you tell me now your name?" Sebastian wondered. He has to admit that it has been bugging him for weeks on end about who this mystery woman is. He even went to ask around the paddock but his description was very vague and no one could help him.

"Its Y/N, nice to meet you" Purposely leaving out the last name.

In Y/N's mind it was just a safety pre-caution to leave out her last name. It was for her own good as well because people tend to act differently once they hear about your big brother or your connection to the sports. For once in her life, Y/N wants to be seen as just Y/N.

Maybe she just want to prolong this little charade for a little while longer.

"Y/N nice to finally meet you"

2007, Nürburgring

Maybe its the home turf advantage that boosted his confidence but Sebastian managed to ask Y/N if she would like a tour around the place. Thankfully, she agreed. Sebastian was already blabbering about the places that they have to get to and Y/N had to remind him that they're not staying for a vacation.

He will tell you that he is not freaking out but he prepared for the whole afternoon. He even asked his mother what outfit should he wear to make it seem like a casual hangout. In his defense, he never had a lot of friends growing up and he certainly didn't have beautiful australian girls around.

"You know you don't have to bring me flowers, were just touring around"

It was his idea to bring flowers because he often sees it in airports. When someone new is in town, they bring them flowers. He felt like the orange gerberas were a good pick as advised by the florist he knows.

"But the flowers made you smile" Sebastian grinned "I'm more than pleased to have a happy tourist to tour around"

Then two engaged in a conversation about their early life. Sebastian shared stories of the town he grew up in and his stories of motorsports.Y/N, on the other hand, listened and shared some bits of her life in Australia before she traveled around the world.

Eventually the duo ended up in an orange farm, where they picked out oranges and waited for the sunrise to set in the horizon. It was a core memory that they will share with one naother.

"We should do this again sometime"Y/N suggested

"Its a breather for you and I" Sebastian agreed "Away from all the lavishness of F1 and the pressure of the sports"

"Sounds like you wanted to run away with me"

"Who wouldn't want to run away with someone like you?"

2007, Fuji Speedway.

The past few weeks has been stressful for the Webber siblings. The articles published by some news sites seems to be getting on Mark's last nerve. Everyone seems to be taunting him about how he is over a hundred of race starts already but then he still haven't won anything. The pressure is high and Mark was determined to prove them wrong.

"Mark just don't do anything stupid okay?" Y/N begs.

She watches as Mark suit up for the next race. She was already used to her brother racing but she knew this race was a little different since her brother wanted to win.

"I'm not going to be stupid Y/N, I'll drive good today and I'll get that win that they want"Mark grumbled.

Y/N handed the helmet to her brother, "Just stay safe, I don't want to lose you"

"I'll come back safe"

The race went underway and as usual, Y/N watches it in the comforts of the driver's room. She did not want too many attention focused on her and she felt like her heart might actually come out of her rib cage if she watches it on the stands.

Japan's wet races gives Y/N a heavy feeling that something bad might happen. Her heart beats rapidly as she watches cars after cars spin out or crash. She prays that none of them was Mark. or Sebastian.

There was 20 laps to go when her ears started ringing that a Red Bull has been rear-ended by a Toro Rosso.

'Please don't let it be Mark and Seb. Please don't let it be Mark and Seb'

But the voices in the Red Bull pitlanes and the storming voices of Mark confirms her worst nightmare.

"That kid is so stupid, he shouldn't have been allowed to drive" Mark roared "I had that in the bag, I was going to win"

Y/N immediately hugged her brother, "Its alright, the win will be coming soon Mark. What matters is you are safe"

There were frustrated tears from Mark as he cried in the embrace of his sister. Privacy was given to the siblings as the race continues on. She was so focused on her brother that she didn't notice that there were several messages in her phone.

Seb: Where are you? Seb: I messed up my race and Webber. Seb: Call me when you get this. Please?

2007, Shanghai International Circuit

It felt like a heavy weight on Sebastian's shoulder after he messed up. He kept on blaming himself that he did not just mess up his own race but he also messed up Webber's race. It did not help that Y/N was not replying.

The media has also been eating him up with the way that Webber responded to him. He was called a kid that did not have enough experience. It stings a lot but now he has to put up a brave face and just race.

"SEB! SEB!"

Sebastian looked back and he saw Y/N. There was no hesitation in him but he immediately hugged her. It was the only time ever since Japan that people aren't mad at him or hounding him for questions. He felt at ease to be with Y/N.

"Where have you been, I have been messaging you over the weekend"

"I'm here now, aren't I?" Y/N says "And before I forget, I made you this as a token of my apology"

In her hand, she has a paper bag. Sebastian's curiosity is piqued upon looking at the contents inside the bag. There was a tupperware with food and a sticky note in a messy handwriting "for sebastian vettel, you can do it."

"You cook?"

"I don't but hey its the thought that counts. I figure that you might need-"

Y/N doesn't have to explain a lot because Sebastian already appreciated the gesture. He hugged her again and it seems like everything just got a little bit lighter for Sebastian that weekend.

It wasn't Sebastian's weekend at all but remembering the little note, that was tucked inside his helmet, he felt a lot better. He can bounce back next season.

2008,  Autodromo Nazionale di Monza

This was the internal dilemma of being Sebastian's friend and being Mark's sister. The two of them are in different side of the coins for this season. Two drivers shared the same family with Toro Rosso being the sister family of Red Bull but it seems like that's their only similarity.

Then there was the mixed emotion. Of course, Y/N was proud of Sebastian because he is slowly improving and shining with every grand prix. She was always elated when they see each other post-qualifying or post-race at the hotel rooftop (it has been their common knowledge that they will meet up there so that they can get fresh air together). On the other hand, Y/N knows about the pressure that it is being placed with her brother. Mark has been declining and losing hope for a maiden win. He has been in the sports for some time and he believes his time should have arrived by now but he lost opportunity after opportunity.

Y/N can't fault anyone for this one. Both of them just wanted to achieve their dreams. She wished everything does not have to escalate but here they are in the 2008 Monza Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel was starting on pole while Mark was starting third. Everyone is buzzing about the possibility that Toro Rosso might clinch a first win before Red Bull. It was something that Y/N knew bugged Mark's mind.

It didn't help that it was a rainy start and it sort of brought her back to Japan 2007. She was not an overly religious person but she prayed to any higher being to please don't let Mark and Sebastian crash with each other again.

The race went underway and the rain was not as heavy as Japan. Still there was some crashes and some spin. But Y/N felt the conflict of emotions start again upon seeing how Mark started to drop places while Sebastian pulled away from the rest.

Y/N went out of the driver room when it was nearing the end of the lap. She didn't know whether she should run and congratulate Sebastian or she should stay behind and comfort his brother.

Of course, blood is thicker than water.

Mark looks absolutely defeated as people started to ask him about how he is feeling when their sister group got its first win before them or how did he manage to mess up his 3rd position to eight.

"Just please give him some space, we will be answering the questions later" Y/N stepped up. Right now she was not Mark's sister but rather Mark's assistant.

Y/N helped Mark to go back to his driver's room so he can get a few minutes to himself before he gets questioned by the media again.

"It feels like shit. I feel like I can't do anything right" Mark threw his gloves across the room.

"It wasn't your time yet Mark" Y/N replied. Its like a broken record at this point which frustrates Mark.

"Then when will it be my time? Sebastian has been here for just a year or so and he already have a grand prix victory"

Y/N knew that this was the dam breaking. No words can comfort her brother right now so she just went to give him a hug. She could only wish in silence that Mark gets his win eventually.

On the other side of the paddock, there was cheering. Sebastian Vettel was in cloud 9 as he saw the Toro Rosso mechanics and engineers calls out his name. Everyone was in full party mode that they have even tossed Sebastian up in the air.

Everyone wanted to talk to him. They wanted to ask him about how he is feeling or how he created history today. He was the youngest driver to have a maiden win and the first one to bring victory to Toro Rosso.

But Sebastian eyes seem to search for someone in the crowd. He wouldn't voice it out but there was a certain woman he was hoping to see when he stepped into the podium. It had a slight twinge in his heart but the roaring crowd silenced that feeling.

'Maybe I'll see her later' Sebastian thought.

However, there was no Y/N in sight for the rest of the weekend.

2008, Marina Bay Street Circuit

Sebastian was still experiencing the highs of his Monza win and the Singapore GP has also been a good race for him. He might not have a podium finish but 5th was good enough. However if there was one thing that bothered Sebastian was the lack of Y/N sightings.

He tried messaging her after Monza but there was no reply. He thinks its probably weird that he didn't even get a congratulations because surely Y/N would know about it. There might be a couple of reasons why she didn't see it which is a) she was sick or b) she resigned.

Sebastian was gunning for the first choice because surely Y/N won't just resign without saying goodbye.

So imagine his surprise when he saw the woman that has been bugging his mind at the exit of the pitlane.

"You could have answered my texts you know" that was Sebastian's greeting to her

Y/N seems to be caught off-guard by Sebastian's presence. She was still in her work outfit Sebastian takes note as she was carrying a tote bag.

"I'm sorry. It just got a little busy for me"

Sebastian nods, he understands how having a job here is quite difficult. He could not fault her for that.

"Why not lets celebrate? I won in Monza and I finished fifth here"Sebastian offered "Consider it as your make up dinner for not congratulating me"

There was that hesitant smile gracing her face again and it reminded Sebastian of the first time she didn't tell her name. She seems extremely conflicted.

"Seb I would love to but I still have to do some work and-"

"Y/N, there you are"

Sebastian and Y/N whipped their head to the source of the voice. Mark Webber started walking towards them. It confused Sebastian as to why he knew Y/N but then he remembered that Mark was probably the one that Y/N has been working with.

"I told you to wait for me"Mark says as he picked up the bag of Y/N "I was just fixing some things with Christian"

"I can carry my stuffs myself Mark" Y/N replied

"But you have been walking in your heels the whole day, it's going to make you cranky sooner or later" Mark quipped back.

Now this confused Sebastian. It seems like their dynamics is not just work related but rather something personal. He also felt like he has missed a whole chapter and he feels very invisible at the moment.

"You two know each other?"Sebastian managed to ask.

There was a panic in Y/N eyes as if she wanted to explain but it was Mark that beat her to it.

"Of course, I know her" Mark admitted "Why wouldn't I know my sister?"

And it was that moment that Sebastian pieced out why she haven't been able to message him or why she was MIA as well in Japan. He felt stupid because he never inquired why she didn't give out her last name or why she was booked at the same hotel as the drivers.

Great just fucking great.

2008, Interlagos

It was eating her alive that Sebastian is not in speaking terms with her.

In hindsight, she understands that sooner or later, she has to tell him about who really is. She just didn't know that it will be as early and as unprepared as what happened in Singapore. She also got an earful from Mark who questioned how did she manage to meet Sebastian and why does it seem like the two are close with each other.

Honestly, she can't wait for the season to be over so that she can rest from all the drama but she knows that she has to make amends before winter break starts.

And so she slipped to the Toro Rosso garage, under the disguise that as Mark's assistant, she has to talk to Sebastian. So here she is in Sebastian's driver room, waiting for him to arrive.

"Can't I deal with this after-"Sebastian immediately stopped in his tracks upon seeing Y/N "Oh its you"

Silence enveloped the two of them. Y/N has a practiced script in her head but no words doesn't want to come out.

"I'm giving you five minutes or I'm kicking you out" Sebastian warned.

"I just came here to say that I am sorry. It wasn't really my intention to deceive you. I just wanted to be friends with you without my last name being too intimidating. I know that its terrible but I was going to tell you my name someday but Mark just got into the way and its all shit"

She was word-vomitting, she was sure of it. But hey its better than keeping everything as a burden on the shoulders.

"Say something please?" Y/N wondered with Sebastian's silence.

"You could have told me, don't you trust me?"

"I trust you Sebastian. Its just, its really complicated to be seen as Mark's sister or Mark's assistant. I just want to be just Y/N when I'm with you"Y/N sighs.

Y/N felt bummed as she thought she could fix this before winter break starts but she knows he might need some time.

"I know that its not easy to forgive me. Its selfish of me to do that so I won't force you to forgive me" she says "I'll give you some time to collect your thoughts"

Y/N reached out for the door when she felt a hand tugging her back. She saw Sebastian reaching out.

"Just give me some time"

"I will. Don't worry" she understands "I have to say I'm really proud of you this season. You did well Seb"

There was that silence when Sebastian held her. She knows things are far from okay and there is the upcoming season that has the possibility of Sebastian being upgraded to Red Bull but in this moment, none of that matters. Its just them. Just Y/N and Seb.

[feraltwinkseb]

December 16, 2005 - Jerez, Spain Source: JOSE LUIS ROCA/AFP via Getty Images

[whoregaylorenzo]

Dani Pedrosa in Jerez through the years x Centuries - Fall Out Boy // Dani has achieved 10 podiums in the MotoGP category at this circuit. 3rd in 2012 and 2014, 2nd in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011, 1st in 2008, 2013 and 2017. He also won here in 2005 in the 250cc. insp.

[mwebber]

normal ask i hope! ur fave underrated martian moment ?!

omg hi i have. so many underrated martian moments. maybe they're less "underrated" and more like martian just has soo much history to it that we physically cannot remember everything but i shall endeavour to include as much as i can <3

#1. "if i'd got no competition about me, no real fire or desire, then i'd get on with seb like a house on fire"

#2. TEAM FILMING DAY 2012 i think they were very buddy buddy and cute here, they shared a segway and looked like they were having fun :)

#3. JEREZ 2005 aka seb's first test in a car! seb saying in his abu dhabi 2022 interview:

"what people don't know is i did my very very first test in 2005, and mark was there as well! we shared the car, i mean i had the deal with bmw that i was allowed to do a couple of laps. and i remember the test very well because i was a bit scared, you know, after?"

+ this in aussie grit:

"my eyes were [huge], i was full of adrenaline, and after the couple laps i had, i wasn't able to hold onto my neck. and, you know, mark was so kind and gave us a lift to the airport! so that's really when it started.... we always had a straightforward relationship, there were some moments where we disagreed, let's say? but i think we always had respect for each other, and that respect helped us--and helps us--to get along the way we do!"

#4. BMW CHRISTMAS PARTY 2005 bom did a whole thing on this but to summarize, bmw hosted a winter party and mark and seb were in attendance and they sat across from each other in a carriage and it's possibly the most winter fairytale thing they could have possibly done together <3

#5. "I always thought that if you look at other team pairings, there are far worse ‘couples’ than we’ve been in terms of mutual respect."

#6. SEB WENT TO MARK'S FAREWELL DINNER. i have no official source for this it's been on my to-do list to find forever but the posts are there

#7. "IT'S FOR BOTH OF US." cota 2013 when mark was given a model car and seb looked at it and mark was like it's for both of us! martianblr at the time thought mark said "we can share it" after but i've listened to the clip and im hearing "we can sign it." who knows! i think it's rlly cute that a decade ago this place was losing its shit over the same things though

#8. MATCHING CAMPBELL SOUP SHIRTS and in their opposite matching porsche colours..

(post)

edit 6 hours after starting this answer i forgot my train of thought bc i ended up going outside for half the day lol but um. yeah! them <3 if i remember more and have time tmrw i'll reblog with a few additions because i'm sure im missing things!

[bikefuckersoftheworldunite]

also. THIS PHOTO. this is post the jerez 2005 overtake.

[42bakery]

One of my favourite interview from Dani has to be 'La Caja de DAZN'. This is an out of the box interview were DAZN asked close people to the riders to give them important objects to allow them to talk about the rider's career. The rider's can talk as much or as little as they want and sometimes, one object can have more than one meaning.

Those are the objects in Dani's box and what it meant.

That glue represents Antonio (he's a carpenter). It meant his job and the money they need for Dani to compete. It also represents Dani's origin as a rider and the passion for bikes that share. The first bike, the miniature bikes to play...

This represents Basilia and a period of time. Apparently people saw Dani on the street an remember Dani as the Colacao guy. The story behind the add is real. Basi has been the person to stay with Dani the whole time he has been in the hospital.

Dani is not very fan of football, but he's a Barça fan. The importance is in the detail that this shirt belongs to Iniesta. In a Catalan GP Dani wore a racing boots with Iniesta's name due to Alpinestar doing a special edition related to the World Cup. Dani choose Iniesta due to his values in and out of the pitch.

This also helped to talk about his retirement. How he needed it, but he still misses it.

Dani's 125cc winning shirt (2003). Dani says people still have it and show it to him.

They mention that Puig told him that after 5 years with the same bike it was time for Dani to finally win the championship (or something) with this bike. They always had it present in their mind.

Dani explains that the 2 stoke bikes and the learning curve. First it was learning how the two strokes worked, then how to be fast and do the proper setting of the bike and on top of that the process to get the 'good' parts. So when you do the good results you get the parts. According to Dani, currently riders all have the same materials properly set up.

This represents both 250cc years (and championship) Dani did. For Dani is a glorious period of time. He had no pre-season and no real training that winter break. Added with his short stature and lack of weight, people weren't really expecting a lot, but Dani settled very well with the bike and the category. He did so well that he actually won the first race.

He also confesses that he has this bike (250cc) at his house.

It's also mentioned his rivals in that category. In 2004 it was Sebas Porto and in 2005 it was Jorge, Casey and Andrea (Dovizioso)

And not so well know detail of this bike is that there was a special sticker that was Puig's idea (yes Puig had a big hand and influence in young Dani).

Dani didn't reveal what it was, but it was something between Alberto and his dad. What people though that C.N.O meant Centro Nacional de Operaciones (National Centre of Operations), but Dani said is not really that, it's close but not that.

Do I need to say this is a mini-replica of Jorge's X-Fuera helmet?

This bring us back to 2005, when Spanish media sometimes talked more about 250cc (and Dani-Jorge battles/rivalry) than MotoGP. Dani notes that their 250cc rivalry moved and shifted when they moved to MotoGP. For him, in 250cc it was them (managers and riders) talking to the media and responding through the media more than track rivalries (not that it lacked), but in MotoGP in was more on track than media.

Dani confesses that for them sometimes it wasn't about who was going to win the race, just to be in front of the other because they had other rivals on track such and Vale or Casey.

This took a trip to memory lane where Dani explains how he and Jorge meet, then become rivals and finally friends. They also explain the infamous handshake in Jerez 2008.

This is tape to explain the injuries. They mention the one in Australian GP in 2003 when he broke both ankles. Dani is a rider that didn't crash a lot, but unfortunately, he broke every time they did.

This lead to Dani's neardy side, which is that he apparently calculate the number of crashes per year he had. According to his data, he did it 2-3 times per year test including (5 or 6 the year he crashed the most). And for half of those crashes he ended up in the hospital (Poor Dani had to have surgery twice a year). In comparison, Marc his teammate at the time crashed more than 30 times and only once or less did Marc need surgery.

At the end of his career, Dani was mostly affected of the collarbone, but at the start it was mostly extremities (hand and feet).

This is a phone, but the important isn't the phone itself, it's the Movistar logo on it that can't be seen. This brings us back to Dani's origin. When Dani's family didn't have enough money for Dani to keep going in bikes and then the add of the Movistar Joven Activa Cup appeared in their life. It was a promotional cup with DORNA's approval and the support of Movistar as an sponsor.

It was Antonio who encouraged Dani to send the application despite knowing Dani didn't have the age for it, but it was the only way for Dani to stay riding motobikes and not change to bikes. That was the ladder to took Dani to MotoGP.

When Puig proposed Dani to move from the Cup to CEV, Antonio told Dani to not accept and do a second year in the Cup to win more experience and not suffer from his lack of height and experience, but Dani decided that he wanted to move to the CEV.

They reveal that Dani raced with the number 26 in his first year in the World Championship (2001).

This is the film 'The last samurai' which allows us to know where the 'little Samurai' nickname comes from.

When the film came out, Dani went to the cinema to see it, and a scene left an impact on him. Added to the message and values that the film had, let him to the samurai path. He also was riding for Honda that they are like that, so it ted nicely.

This is an orange, and is just there for the colour orange. it's supposed to be the moment to talk about KTM, but Dani also wanted to talk about Repsol. Dani started his career racing with the colour blue (his favourite), but since he moved to MotoGP, the orange has followed him.

Dani talks about how an objective have to be followed by the appropriate tools, and how KTM has been growing since their objective have been growing too.

Golden wings to represent Honda. Dani has been racing with Honda his whole life including the Movistar Cup and the CEV. For Dani it always has been Honda because all the big names and his idols have been there. There wasn't any other team for him.

Even his leathers in minimotos where the Repsol replica!

That is a piece of titanium, and Dani's first tough is that the metal is there because he has so much inside him. But no, the meaning of this object is because Sete (Gibernau) used to call Dani Titanium because Dani was small and strong; lightweight and tough/hardy.

The nickname made the aparence for the first time when Dani broke his ankles in 2003. Sete has holding a piece of paper with it.

'Titanio' Pedrosa mejorate pronto. Estamos contigo - Titanium Pedrosa get well soon. We are with you.

From then on, every time Sete and Dani had an event together, both raced in the Movistar team, Sete called Dani Titanium.

Ernest ventured to ask Dani if his life would have changed had he become MotoGP World Champion. Dani said yes (no hesitation) and explains that some colateral things would have changed, but doesn't further elaborate. When asked of if he still feels as it's missing, Dani said that not at the moment, but he felt it in the past. And that he had to digest and work on accepting it.

Source: La Caja de DAZN (DAZN's box).

[petit-papillion]

Charles celebrates his F2 championship with Antonio Fuoco and his team | Jerez | 7 October 2017

📸 Zak Mauger

Last year The Race ranked every GP2/F2 champion:

18. Davide Valsecchi (2012)

17. Fabio Leimer (2013)

16. Jolyon Palmer (2014)

15. Giorgio Pantano (2008)

14. Mick Schumacher (2020)

13. Felipe Drugovich (2022)

12. Pastor Maldonado (2010)

11. Nyck de Vries (2019)

10. Pierre Gasly (2016)

9. Romain Grosjean (2011)

8. Timo Glock (2007)

7. Oscar Piastri (2021)

6. Nico Rosberg (2005)

5. Nico Hulkenberg (2009)

4. Stoffel Vandoorne (2015)

3. George Russell (2018)

2. Lewis Hamllton (2006)

1. Charles Leclerc (2017)

Source: The Race

[batsplat]

Oh im obses whit your blog like you are such a great historian on vale and love the way you analys stuff admire the way of writing all of your toughs in such a corent way 🩷🩷🐹

this is so nice, thank you!! okay so this ask was initially sent in response to this post about how marc knew what a dick valentino was to his rivals and appreciated/wished to emulate that side of him, in particular in the context of copying the jerez pass. and... well, there is one more follow-up post to that I did want to make. it didn't really work within that post because it's pretty speculative, but I think it's fun! here goes

so you know argentina 2018, right, big drama, reconciliation over, bla bla (I promise this is going in a more fun direction, stick with me here). there's a bit of marc's post-race media scrum that I am a wee bit obsessed with. or well, two specific lines, one in english (0:00) and one in spanish (1:02) - I've included the full responses for context, but in this post I'm really only interested in those two lines

in english:

But he was in the past also 25 years old, and will remember, everybody.

and in spanish:

He has also been 25 years old and, well, I hope that people also remember.

... 25 years old, did you say?

okay, look, fair warning. the rest of this post is going to be reading too much into what was probably an off-handed comment - even if, I'd just like to point out, it is something he felt the need to say twice. but let's just have some fun here, and read too much into it. as a treat

so obviously the most generic way to read this is him saying 'well valentino used to be really aggressive on-track too, so people shouldn't be criticising me more than they did him'. thing is, I wouldn't say there was that much of a noticeable decline in how aggressive valentino was being, and 2017 did still feature some major scraps where valentino very much got his elbows out (cf assen and phillip island, I included a bit more detail on this in the marc race rec post). sure, valentino did increasingly have his reservations about some of the behaviour of younger riders, so maybe he was less aggressive now relative to the field... but I just don't feel like that's quite what this line is implying. it's also not about valentino making 'mistakes' in general, because there would have been no reason to refer back to past-valentino in that regard... the 25 year old version of valentino was considerably more error-free than the 39 year old

so then, my theory is that it's about valentino's controversies! that's what people "will remember", right - it's not the general style of riding, not just innocent mistakes, it's the times when valentino caused a bit of a stir on and off the race track. now, again, you could go the generic route here and say 'ah well maybe marc is just thinking of all the mess valentino got himself involved in when he was younger, from getting into a fist fight with max biaggi at age 22 to pissing off casey stoner through his aggressive riding at laguna at age 29'. but let's say for a moment that marc was thinking a bit more specifically than that... after all, if we're just talking about valentino controversies in general, surely marc should be able to think of a rather more recent example where valentino, like marc at argentina 2018, caused another rider to crash and was subsequently penalised for his riding? of course, marc probably didn't want to bring up that particular controversy - but it's still interesting he feels the need to refer back to a younger version of valentino at all, the fact that this crossed his mind in the first place to make him bring it up unprompted while making his case. so maybe when marc, who is after all a known valentino rossi fan, refers twice to what valentino was like at "25 years old"... he is in fact thinking of what valentino was like when he was 25 years old. and in what year would that be? well, here's the thing. it would be 2004

readers of the sete post can probably guess where I'm going with this, but let's just take a moment to review what specific on-track incidents marc could be thinking of here. let's give him a little bit of extra leeway in terms of the age, even though I trust marc to be more on top of the exact age gap than valentino was in times past. let's throw in one year either way, so 2003 to 2005, and draw up a list of any particularly controversial races valentino was involved in. here's what I've got:

assen 2004 - valentino executed a hard overtake for the win on the last lap on sete gibernau. he's not in complete control and almost loses the front at the next corner, which would have taken them both out

qatar 2004 - after his team rubber up his grid slot the night before, valentino gets slapped with a back-of-the-grid penalty. he ends up crashing out of the race and burns his relationship with sete in the aftermath

jerez 2005 - at a time when their relationship is already very chilly, valentino and sete engage in another duel. valentino executes a block pass with contact at the final corner and is booed by the crowd

motegi 2005 - the first chance to seal that year's title, and one valentino would very much have liked to take to spite honda. an unwise overtaking attempt on melandri leaves both on the ground

so, my guess is that neither assen nor motegi were really big enough controversies to fit the bill, though maybe they stuck in marc's mind as instances of 'reckless riding' that he includes in a more generic internal understanding of young valentino rossi. we do of course know for a fact that marc was more than aware of what happened at jerez 2005, not least because he, you know, directly copied that move twelve years later (again, link to the relevant post). like marc in argentina 2018, valentino barged into a rival in rather controversial fashion, and obviously it also made the relationship between him and said rival deteriorate still further. sure, you can't really argue the move was 'as bad' as argentina 2018, but as far as I'm concerned it has the same general vibe

you know what else has the same general vibe? here's a race description for you:

a 25 year old rider is sent to the back of the grid for a reason they consider unfair

they proceed to deliver a phenomenal performance even by their lofty standards, quickly working their way up to a position that seemed unattainable to them

they barge a rival out of the way in their impatience, reaching back to apologise for the move

the race ends poorly for them and they fail to score any points

afterwards, their relationship with a rival is ruined as a result of the events of the race, and the whole thing remains a lingering controversy for years to come

one race that fits this description is, of course, argentina 2018. the other is qatar 2004. there's obviously plenty of details that are significantly different - valentino's move on barros is less egregious and far less controversial, and his race ends in the gravel rather than with a post-race time penalty. still, that start of valentino's? the impatience? the post-race fury? the repercussions this race had? come on, look at the race footage I included in the qatar post and tell me there's not a little bit of a shadow of that qatar fury to the argentina recklessness

this is a point I snuck into the marc race recs post, where I included this excerpt from a post-argentina 2018 write-up:

phillip island 2003, hm? as it happens, in the qatar post, I did include a bit of the autobiography that compares those two specific races:

so, phillip island 2003: a performance that made everyone wonder just how much valentino had left in reserve to draw on whenever he needed it. what valentino is saying here is that this performance wasn't a result of him holding back in all the other races that year - this was speed that was accessible to him only in that moment because he was so angry. so yes, maybe it's a valid question to wonder what would have happened at phillip island 2003 if it hadn't just been the ghost of his bike that had to pick its way through the stragglers. then again, valentino says it's not just rage that does the trick for him - it's controlled rage... which is all well and good, except when you lose control

and see also:

that's what argentina 2018 is all about, isn't it? it's a performance that's rooted in impatience, in restlessness, in frustration - where marc tuns his "rage into pure speed", as valentino would put it, in a hubristic dismissal of the rest of the field. ideally, the two of them channel those emotions to spur themselves on to special, signature performances... but sometimes, it gets the better of them. it got the better of marc that day in argentina and cost him the tentative peace with valentino. at qatar, it could have cost valentino the title

(also shades of this in jerez 2020 - an error sets the stage for some extraordinary pace before it all goes wrong) (catalunya 2003 is a fun more compact nephew to that race without the unhappy ending)

now, look, am I saying that marc was really referring back to qatar 2004 specifically, a race that had happened fourteen years earlier, when making an off-hand remark in a post-race media scrum as he tried to do some damage control in the wake of one of the most controversial races of his career? well, no. he could have been! but it's unlikely. maybe he's shit at maths and was actually thinking about laguna 2008 after all. still, I would like to once again point out that he felt the need to mention valentino's behaviour at age twenty five not once but twice. he's telling us that he wants people to remember what valentino was like at that age, and in the most literal sense I am doing what he's asking for. surely it's worth at least noting that there just happens to be a race where valentino was at that exact age and his temper overcame his rationality, leading to him making a costly error... surely it's worth acknowledging this...

even if marc wasn't actually obliquely referring back to that race or indeed any of the races I mentioned above, of course the parallels between valentino's foibles and marc's are in any case interesting. it speaks to how they get those special performances out of themselves, the similarities in how they operate in that regard... but of course also in how they both sometimes stray rather close to the limit, how they repeatedly flirt with crossing the line. a stubbornness and a hubris and a rage that can sometimes lead to disaster for the both of them. and another thing - who knows if marc was thinking about qatar 2004, but he must have been thinking about something. that's the point of that jerez post, right... marc is valentino's successor in so many ways, he has fashioned himself in valentino's image - and he keenly grasps and remains aware of all the different aspects of that legacy. he's the most accomplished of valentino's students and he felt strongly that what he did in that race in argentina was in some way comparable to what valentino himself had been doing at his age, part of the same tradition even. yes, to some extent marc is obviously accusing valentino of hypocrisy here: how can you judge me when you were once young and foolish too? his tone isn't exactly filled with remorse either, is it, he's pretty feisty in that media scrum! still, there's something more to it... something almost poetic to the whole thing, wouldn't you say? valentino had just accused marc of ruining the sport - and in response marc wants people to remember that they are just the same

[sebinwhite]

Sebastian Vettel after his first Formula 1 test drive at Jerez (2005) 

watch here

[formulahs]

jerez, september 2005 // adria, september 2014 - first f1 test.

[kwisatzworld]

Valentino Rossi and Sete Gibernau

In Qatar, Rossi’s hitherto friendly rivalry with Gibernau came to a crashing halt under the most unusual circumstances. With the track being completely new and therefore rather “green” and slippery, Rossi’s crew took a scooter out to his third-row start position on the night before the race and performed a few burnouts, leaving a mass of grippy rubber on what was effectively going to be Rossi’s launch pad. Rossi was not present and Jerry Burgess did not inform Yamaha boss Davide Brivio of what he and the team had done. Spotting the black rubber on his rider’s grid position, Brivio reported it to the circuit manager, thinking that someone had tampered with Rossi’s slot. Then Honda became aware of the melodrama and Gibernau’s team boss Fausto Gresini filed an official protest, claiming Rossi’s team was trying to gain an unfair advantage.

It all seemed rather petty and, while the Yamaha team was not found guilty of breaking any specific rules, race organisers decreed that it was “against the spirit” of the sport and slapped Rossi with a six-second penalty, which meant he had to start the race from the back row of the grid. Max Biaggi, incidentally, was handed the same penalty after his own crew had been caught sweeping his grid slot (an action that was quite specifically forbidden in the rules). Rossi immediately made his position clear: “I’ve been looking for an excuse not to talk to Sete. Today he gave me one.”

In the event, Rossi crashed out of the race while Gibernau won and closed the title gap to just 14 points. But Rossi solely blamed his rival for the protest and the goodwill between the two was at an end. “Sete was the one who was behind all this,” he said. “He has acted like a child. It is like a knife has been pushed into my back.”

From here on in Gibernau would be the new Biaggi, the new nemesis, the new motivation for Rossi to dig deeper in order to beat him. And that made Rossi even more dangerous, as Jerry Burgess pointed out: “Valentino is the sort of rider I wouldn’t want to get angry. He can take you apart on the track.”

At the following round in Malaysia, Rossi began the mental destruction of Gibernau. After vowing never to speak to the Spaniard again he blanked him at the pre-race press conference to such an extent that Gibernau appeared genuinely shaken. While giving his rival the cold shoulder, Rossi joked with the world’s press after setting pole position, saying, “This was a very important pole position because at least we know exactly which part of the track we have to clean.”

After beating Gibernau by more than twenty seconds in the race, Rossi then refused to shake hands when the Spaniard tried to congratulate him on the slowing-down lap. Then he stopped and started sweeping up the track with a broom before donning a T-shirt boasting details of his new fictional cleaning company, La Rapida. “We clear out rats,” he said. ‘We disinfect, clear drains and clean starting grids.” Then, in a direct reference to his six-second penalty in Qatar, he added, “We also do night jobs – all done in six seconds.” It was a classic example of Rossi’s mind games: while the gag was funny to everyone else, the words were carefully chosen to wound and belittle those they were aimed at, in this case Gibernau, who Rossi clearly viewed as a “rat”.

“Hijo de puta! Hijo de puta!” “Son of a whore! Son of a whore!”

Rossi was accustomed to hearing his name being chanted at race meetings, but this was something entirely new to him. This was undistilled hatred – and he was on the receiving end of it. Thousands of Spanish fans joined in the insulting chant as he completed his victory lap at Jerez, the opening round of the 2005 MotoGP season.

Rossi had always been the beloved one, the charmed rider who could do no wrong, who counted every race as a home race. Adored wherever he went, he could always be assured of looking out on to grandstands filled with tens of thousands of fans dressed in his own brand of Rossi yellow. Now the love had turned to hate as the Spanish crowd bayed for his blood.

Local hero Sete Gibernau had led all but three laps of the 27-lap Jerez Grand Prix, but if he believed Rossi had calmed down over the winter and would now forgive and forget what had happened at Qatar the previous year, he got a rude awakening on the final lap of the race. It was Gibernau’s home Grand Prix and he was desperate to win it and start the season with a victory. He very nearly managed it, too, and had he not riled his rival so much in 2004 Rossi might just have conceded defeat. Instead, he waited until the last corner of the last lap of the race before ramming his way up the inside of the Spaniard, clattering into his Movistar Honda, and knocking him off the track and into the gravel trap while he himself went on to win the race.

The pair were so far ahead of the rest of the field that Gibernau managed to get back on track and finish second, but the damage had been done – and it was extensive. Rossi, so accustomed to fans cheering his name, now had to get used to another chorus as tens of thousands of Spanish fans booed and chanted vitriolic slogans.

To his credit, Gibernau acted like a gentleman throughout the aftermath of the race. Unlike Rossi at Qatar, he accepted his rival’s handshake, however stern his expression while doing so. The normally placid Spaniard was clearly furious, his body language speaking volumes both in parc fermé and on the podium, but Rossi remained unrepentant. “There was enough space for me to pass him in the final corner,” he said at the post-race press conference. “It was the only place where I could pass. We touched but motorbike races are sometimes like this. I know Sete is not happy, but there are going to be sixteen more races this year and there will be many more hard battles.”

Gibernau maintained a dignified silence, refusing to make any comment on the last lap, no matter how many times he was asked for his opinion. Perhaps he had learned from the Rossi/Biaggi feuds that there was little to be gained by making an enemy of the most popular man in racing: if you turned on Rossi, you turned on at least 60 per cent of MotoGP’s fan base.

But then, in a sport where the winning margins are so miniscule, each and every tiny advantage must be pursued and that includes gaining a psychological edge over your rivals and mentally upsetting them if the chance presents itself. Rossi was no fool; he had already been through this with Biaggi and had seen the demoralising effects of his constant jibes towards the Roman to the press. He and Gibernau had not started out as natural enemies, but as soon as the Spaniard became a legitimate threat on track – as he had over the last year – then Rossi sought to neutralise that threat in any way he could. Psychological dominance is part of the arsenal of weaponry at Rossi’s disposal that has helped him become the greatest motorcycle racer of all time. What was becoming increasingly clear was that beneath the perma-smile, the curly locks, the post-race antics and the seemingly laid-back approach to life, Rossi was in fact a ruthless, driven and determined motorcycle racer. Of course, no sportsman reaches the top of his game without these attributes, but in Rossi they were so well disguised that it came as a bit of a shock when they revealed themselves. He was a smiling assassin – and all the more dangerous for it.

On the podium at Jerez, Sete Gibernau had looked like a beaten man, and he was. After the grid incident at Qatar, Rossi had reportedly vowed that Gibernau would never win another race (although he later denied saying this), and the Spaniard never did, despite racing in the top class for another two years. Rossi’s work, by fair means or foul, was done. He had neutralised another threat to his continued dominance of MotoGP.

[p1tstop]

JEREZ, September 27 2005 — Germany's 18-year-old prodigy, Sebastian Vettel, smiles prior to making his F1 debut at a private test session. Vettel will pilot the Williams BMW FW27. Jose Luis Roca / Getty.

[anitalianfrie]

Hey there, I’m new to motogp (baby’s first race \o/) and I was wondering what prior seasons to watch to fully understand the sport. Ive heard things about 2015 but in order to maximise the insanity of that year I must watch prior years. Any favourites to recommend.

P.S your gifs are mwah magnifique love them

HII!!! I hope your first two races were fun! Anyways. I think more than watch you should vaguely know at least what happened during 2015 (it kinda shaped the way a lot of the paddock interacted for many years after that). Anyways that's rosquez, which is a super and insane thing. I'm pretty sure @moonshynecybin had a post about rosquez races, but I'm not 100% sure. If you want some rider-specific races, I'd go to check out @batsplat blog (insane recs).

Some of my favourite races are laguna seca 2013 (Marc's first win, insane rosquez weekend all around), Phillip Island 2015 (super great race imo, not so great what followed the week after), Argentina 2018 (stupidest race ever. Marc was so much faster it was almost embarrassing. Super funny up until the rosquez moment that shall not be named) Phillip island 2023 (was about to throw up while watching it) Jerez 2005 (yamaha vale on track crimes) Phillip island 2003 (maybe not the most exiting race ever but the English commentary on this literally takes me out. And also vale masterclass)

[bikefuckersoftheworldunite]

Sete Gibernau and Valentino Rossi collide as Rossi overtakes Gibernau on the last corner of the last lap at Jerez 2005