Eyes that have guided him safely through the perils that are part and parcel of his high-risk profession, widen in mock horror and the familiarly squeaky and heavily-accented voice splutters: "Me go to Formula One? No. That idea is dead and buried".
Valentino Rossi, hailed as the greatest motorcycle racer of all time and a multi-champion at all levels, recognises the risks of rumours shadowing him when he takes time off from two wheels to play about "for fun" in a Ferrari F1 car at the invitation of the Italian Grand Prix giants from Maranello.
Even F1 kingpin Bernie Ecclestone was entranced by the notion that Rossi, notably fast in his test run-outs and barely three seconds off legend Michael Schumacher's pace at the test track, might be tempted to switch in a spectacular finale to his race career.
"It would be fantastic for our sport to have such an amazing character on the grid," said Ecclestone, himself a one-time bike racer-turned-car driver, albeit with moderate success.
"Too late," reveals Rossi. "Anyway I have signed a deal to race Yamahas in MotoGP for another couple of years. By then I shall be 31 and that is far too late to make such a major change and go to Formula One."
He adds: "The Ferrari tests are just a present to myself? a celebration? for winning the championship again. But it is only for fun. Nothing more.
"I love my bike racing too much to even think about leaving for another sport where I might struggle to keep up with the regular Grand Prix guys.
"They are all so quick. OK, driving an F1 Ferrari is an amazing experience and a complete thrill. But it is a whole different ball game when you are up against regular, committed and fully experienced drivers rather than just going round a track on your own."
What could have accompanied Rossi to F1 was a sense of the ridiculous and mischievously unbridled fun, a prevailing attitude of competitiveness with a readiness to fearlessly mix it in the toughest of circumstances with the most fiercely-committed rivals.
Instead, all of those qualities will remain in MotoGP, much to the enjoyment and benefit of an ever-growing population of bike race fans worldwide.
Tonight he races in Indianapolis looking to extend his 50-point championship lead over Yamaha teammate Jorge Lorenzo.
His former teammate Colin Edwards calls him the Goat - the Greatest Of All Time. Edwards has both suffered and revelled in Rossi's presence in on-and-off track activities.
Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt, too, counts himself a friend and admirer. Crazy about bikes, the movie idol is the owner of a Ducati, MV-Agusta, a Suzuki and a couple of Harley-Davidsons and was treated to a ride on Rossi's title-winning Yamaha YZR-M1.
He says: "We celebrities, I know, should not worship idols - but I have one of my own who stands above all the rest in my mind and in his field... Valentino. I love to watch him race and go to MotoGP whenever I can. He is an absolute genius. And a lovely guy, too. We are real good friends."
Rossi has given up living in Knightsbridge, London, one of the United Kingdom's most desirable and wealthiest areas, and has moved back to his birthplace, Tavullia, Urbino, Italy where, he says: "I can be with my family and all my friends. I needed to return to my past and be on familiar territory now that I seem to have more free time. It is very relaxing."
He moved to the UK originally to escape the fame he had built for himself and the consequent attention he attracted on homeground.
"My face was not as recognisable in London," he grins, "and that meant I was able to move about freely without drawing attention to myself. I know that could sound strange, but I am not really interested in celebrity [status]. I prefer to be anonymous away from the race track.
"The important thing is that my passion for riding motorcycles and the taste I have for racing right on the limit remains as strong now as it was when I made my Grand Prix debut way back in 1996.
"This has always been, and still is, very much the base of my performance and when it starts reducing I believe it will be the time for me to stop. I can't see that happening at the moment. Hopefully, it won't be for a very, very long time yet."
Has there been anything, a rare moment of upset, to shake his self-belief and his joy in a year of overwhelming achievement?
He takes hardly as second to answer: "Yes. There has been one really bad thing... very sad... about the year.
"My dog, Guido, passed away the day I arrived home from the Australian Grand Prix last year. That was a great hurt and a shame, but not completely unexpected because he was quite old. I have had a sticker picture of him on my bike since 2001. I will always miss him - but I cannot live without a dog so I have bought two new ones."
sports@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
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Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
FIVE%20TRENDS%20THAT%20WILL%20SHAPE%20UAE%20BANKING
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Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
THREE
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Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%C2%A0profile
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
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The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
