I’d like to know if you like this life. I love it so much because it’s a strange life, one you would never live unless you had a great passion for it. You have to let go of many habits you might have had before, like hanging out with your friends or going for a drink at a bar in the evening. You can forget about those things.
Why did Valentino choose you, out of all the friends he had? Maybe because we had a bit more of a connection. We were a tight-knit group of ten, but he and I had always had a good connection since we were kids. That’s the first reason. The second is that I worked for my father, so I wasn’t a factory worker, I was free. One day I told him, “Dad, I’m quitting because I’m going to work for Valentino!” And he was happy to let me do it. So, in practical terms, I had more possibilities. That’s how I started.
How would you define your role if you had to give it a name? What do you do? I don’t really like it when people say, “Uccio, Valentino’s friend?” I am Valentino’s friend, of course, but first and foremost, our friendship came before this job. My job, first of all, is to take care of the motorhome. Besides keeping it tidy inside, the motorhome is fifteen meters long, so it has its own needs. You have to take care of everything and clean it, it’s like a moving house. Just like at home, things can break, like the washing machine. I also drive it to races and tests, only I drive it. And only he and I sleep in it.
So you don’t stay in hotels? Let’s debunk this myth! No, absolutely not. Hotels are inconvenient. You have to wake up early every morning. We really like sleeping.
Maybe you stay up late? No, we go to bed early because there’s always a lot to do at the races, and there’s also some tension. I mean, we don’t go to bed super early, but not too late either. We don’t go out, we just stay in the motorhome, chat a bit, watch a movie… we just stay there.
Do you do any management work? Not really. But I do help take some stress off him. If someone comes asking for a photo, I know how to say no in a better way. I know what he wants, just one glance between us, and I understand what to do and what not to do. That’s my job. Anyway, every rider has an Uccio. Whether they are friends like we are, since we’ve been friends since we were five years old, maybe not everyone, maybe no one. But still, it’s a job.
Does friendship mix with work? For example, do you argue? Of course! We definitely argue, but not about work, just like two normal friends. Like, I want to eat somewhere, and he wants to eat somewhere else, that kind of thing. As for work, he lets me do whatever I want. If he arrives and the motorhome isn’t clean, he doesn’t get mad at all, he knows I’ll clean it up in five minutes. We have that kind of understanding.
What do you feel for him? I care about him a lot and have so much admiration for him. He’s someone who never loses his temper, even in his private life, he’s always very calm. A lot of people come at him, but he always keeps his cool. Plus, he makes people feel included, not just me, but everyone. He always involves you in everything he does. Even though he has way more opportunities than others, he always makes sure that everyone feels equal. That’s something really special. If he rents a house, it’s for everyone.
