Sunday, September 5, 2021

News, Ollie and Troy, the tears and hopes of a racing family

Father and son. United by the same passion and obsession: speed.

Their names? We’ll tell you later. The theater in which the seen took place was the Supersport 300 race on Sunday morning. Imagine the young driver: he didn’t sleep well the night before when he thought of his first race in a World Championship weekend. In front of the same audience that shortly after saw the duel between Marquez and Dovizioso and praised Valentino Rossi.

He is a 14-year-old Australian, already fast and rides a Kawasaki EX 300.

He trains on the track and rides motard.

However, his father, a former rider, follows him from a distance. The two often speak with the hand gestures typical for frenetic moments. Hands that mimic turns and trajectories. The nod. He is in his late 40s, with ice-blue eyes and a gentle smile.

The race begins, the weather is terrible, it’s freezing cold. The boy is quick and immediately drives forward before falling on lap two. His father sees him and runs up to him, worried. A girl stops him for a selfie. He, friendly, smiles, waits, takes the picture.

He starts walking again. A few hundred meters and he is stopped again, this time by a marshal. He obediently waits. After the OK, it goes on to his son, who is now in the garage. The Boand takes off his helmet, walks up to his father. Again there are hand movements and gestures. Concern in the father’s eyes, but no blame. Then the boy lays his head on his father’s chest and bursts into tears. For the missed opportunity, yes, but probably also for disappointing his father.

Don’t worry, Ollie Bayliss, even if Troy, who was so used to making others suffer, suffered for you today, sunnier skies are before you.

And victories too.

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