Dr Claudio Costa, a crucial member of the MotoGP community and a paddock personality since the 1970s, today got a first-hand taste of the performance of the latest MotoGP bikes. The Italian doctor, who runs the Clinica Mobile which looks after all aspects of riders’ health, rode one lap of Catalunya aboard the Ducati Marlboro Team two-seater behind former GP winner Randy Mamola. Costa ended the outing with his hands trembling and described his ride with his usual philosopher’s turn of phrase. “What a fantastic experience, today I lived what my heroes and friends live,” he said. “I have lived for many years in the world of MotoGP but not until today was I able to feel what the riders feel. At first I didn’t enjoy the ride too much because I was concentrating so hard on what I was doing. During that one lap I lived in the blast of the wind, normally I don’t enjoy the turbulence when I’m in a car, but today I enjoyed the wind, it felt like the breath of my heroes! Motorcycles can help people to do special things in front of the crowds, and today I experienced a little bit of that with Randy.”