WORKING CLASS HERO
EXCITING CONTENT
My mother is in a company that cleans houses or factories . Normal jobs with a normal salary .
John Lennon wrote a song many years ago called ‘ Working Class Hero . One of the lyrics goes , ‘ A working class hero is something to be .” In 2021 , like every year , a factory Aruba Ducati factory rider really is something to be . In Michael Ruben Rinaldi , Italy now has its own working class hero riding the red bikes from Borgo Panigale that so many Ducatisti worship . Rinaldi has been part of the Ducati / Feel Racing / Aruba . it universe for some time , of course . They have clearly believed in him over the years . But his current exalted position is far removed from his racing roots . Or the lack of them . He has no racing roots , to be honest , other than the ones he grew as a young child and his regular Italian family and friends nurtured as he flourished into a pro-racer and now an Aruba Ducati works rider alongside Scott Redding . Unlike most other racers , there was no racing father or other strong direct connection to two-wheel competition . Michael just wanted to do it from a passion rising inside his infant self . At the risk of sounding like amateur psychiatrists , we said to Michael , ‘ tell us about your childhood …’ “ I ’ m just a rider ,” said Michael from under the shadow of his team ’ s bright red race transporter in Estoril . “ I ’ m a child of five years old with a dream . I just grew up . Everything happened in a roundabout way . For sure in Italy we have a lot of passion for motorsport , but my parents are normal people . They are workers . They were a major key to arrive here because the first time I saw a minibike , I wanted it . My daddy said , OK . They bought it and then I started riding near my house , but we didn ’ t know anything about motorsports . When I was six a guy came to me and said , “ You are fast . Why you aren ’ t racing ?” My father said , “ Racing …? of this bike …?” So from then , I started . I started winning races in minibike .” Moving up and onwards was not easy , but others knew he had talent . “ For sure I come from a normal family . We didn ’ t have money to go to the Moto3 World Championship , even if I arrived second in the Italian championship . So a team from STK600 called me . I went there and I arrived in the World Superbike paddock , and there I met other people that believed in me and introduced me to the Puccetti Racing Team . From there , then I knew the group of guys , so another chapter of my life started . But my family always supported me .” Racing is an expensive business for anybody , especially regular people on regular salaries . But Rinaldi seems sincere when he describes the next stages of his career as almost a form of destiny . “ There was one point where they couldn ’ t afford what motorsport requires . So I always believed I could arrive in the world championship and make a great result , so maybe it was the destiny and always my perseverance and the people that helped me . This is why I ’ m here today , because I never give up . I always believe . When you only see one future , maybe also
22