Valentino Rossi – All His Races

■ £50 ■ ISBN: 978-1-910505-21-2

If Rossi doesn’t stir your loins, then stop reading – this is of no interest. But I grew up watching the Italian superhero from when he first hit the world stage until he retired last year, so I love this book.

It is written by Mat Oxley, who was editor of the likes of Performance Bikes magazine and then became part of the Grand Prix circus for the last 30 years as a journalist. Mat has built up a personal relationship with Valentino, and this book shows. Starting with an insight into Rossi’s home and early life with a Grand Prix-racer as a dad, Oxley writes about every race in every championship that the Italian raced in GPs.

It could easily sound boring, but it is, in fact, the opposite. It’s like reading a soap opera, as a particular season unfolds race by race, and watching this star become the nine world championship winner he was. It has a limited market but I just cannot put it down – despite its weight and girth. What a marvellous read.