Paolo Messina.

The Preparation

The difference is that Paolo studied Cremona for a whole month. Maps, videos, onboard footage, a scale model in the basement. Rumour has it that during a noise level inspection he kidnapped a CIV rider to have every secret of the track explained to him - though the prosecutor's office is still investigating.

Corner 1 on the Right

The best part? The moment he enters the track, he forgets everything, looking for corner 1 on the right. Paolo. A man trained to read terrain, keep his bearings under pressure, ticket little old ladies double-parked. Corner 1 on the right.

Chronicle of a Day

First session: total apnea, the fairing scrapes the asphalt on every left-hander with the delicacy of a midnight raid in Rogoredo. Second session: Paolo comes to terms with the fact that you don't use indicators on track. Third session: lap times drop, Paolo beams like Italy at the 2006 World Cup, and just like that Italy, he has no idea what's coming.

Lunch break arrives: Sicilian living in Trentino, he orders fusilli with pesto. Genius? Madness? Complete absence of cognitive function? Who knows. With 35 degrees on the thermometer, the fourth session becomes a matter of survival.

Paolo heads out with the determination of a food inspector raiding the snack bars outside Cocoricò. It will last two laps.

The Fifth Session

Fifth session: he pushes, the lap timer calls, glory is close - and so is the gravel at corner 8. His right forearm decides it is operating outside its area of expertise and extends itself to plough the Po Valley fields. The marshals, hearing the swearing, choose to risk a charge of failure to render assistance.

End of Day

Shortly after, Riccardo, sensing a golden opportunity, shows Paolo the racing lines too. Two Get Out of Jail Free cards. Paolo finds his smile again - we're not sure if it's happiness or because he was already imagining writing up Macu for riding a SpaceX-manufactured scooter. That smile. That damned smile.