Ever since he was a young child, he would hang around his father’s workshop, where they repaired tractors and farm machinery, but then his passion for two wheels took over.
Now that he is winning his first points in his debut season in Moto2, the “rookie” Celestino Vietti is more relaxed, and is happy to give an interview, albeit a little different from usual.
D. Who are the riders, or more generally figures from the world of sports, that have inspired you the most?
Vietti. Since I was a child, my idol has always been Valentino Rossi. Ever since I started racing on minimotos together with my brother, thanks to my father’s passion for motorbikes. Being able to grow alongside him, both in terms of sports and beyond, means a lot.
D. What are your ambitions? How do you imagine your career?
Vietti. Just like all the riders, the goal is to be consistent and competitive, and in the case of the World Championship, to one day reach the MotoGP. More specifically, for me, this year I am a Moto2 rookie; we have started out well, but it is now becoming more challenging. It is my debut year, there are lots of new things to learn, but we are working constantly to move forward and ever closer to the top group.
D. How do you pass your time during your “normal” life away from the racetrack? Do you have any hobbies or interests beyond racing?
Vietti. In 2019 I moved definitively from Turin, the city where I was born, to Tavullia, in order to take part in all the activities related to the VR46 Riders Academy. This means that I spend my free time between home in Turin and home in Tavullia, spending as much time as possible both with my family and with my friends.
D. What is it like to share the same box with Marco Bezzecchi?
Vietti. “Bez” and I have been friends for years, and we are even more so since I moved to Tavullia. We share the box, and also spend a lot of time together outside of the races. We have fun, we are very close, and I think this really helps to create a positive atmosphere in the box.
D. Have you ever “approached” the world of cranes or trucks in general in the past, for example a relative who works in the sector?
Vietti. My family has a workshop for the repairing of tractors and farm machinery on the outskirts of Turin. I spent a lot of time there when I was a child; I even studied as a mechanical surveyor in Turin, not precisely for cranes, I have to admit, but let’s say I know a little about mechanics.
D. Do you find these vehicles fascinating?
Vietti. Absolutely yes! Between the family workshop and all the rest, ever since I was a child I have been used to spending time around vehicles and machinery, and I am sure that if I hadn’t started professional motorbike racing I would have worked in that field.
BOX
WHO IS CELESTINO VIETTI?
- Born in 2001
- Italian Champion (CIV) in 2015, the same year that he joined the VR46 Riders Academy, with which he then debuted in the CEV (Spanish Championship) in 2017
- He made his World Championship debut - Moto3 - in 2018 at the Japan GP. He won a place on the podium during the second race in the Championship
- In 2019 he became a fully fledged member of the Sky Racing Team VR46, and participated in the Moto3 Team for two seasons, winning seven podiums and two victories
- Nel 2021 he made his Moto2 debut, as always with the Sky Racing Team VR46
