When seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher showed up to take a ride on the back of the Ducati X2 at Mugello in 2006, veteran racer Randy Mamola said it came as a surprise. Watching this video in 2022, it almost seems like a fever dream—and sure enough, there’s even a moment when Valentino Rossi waves to the camera from the sidelines. This HAS to be some kind of strange dream, right?
Except, of course, this is archival video footage—and it was not a dream. Schumi really did show up at Mugello in early August, 2006, with very little fanfare, and extremely eager to hop on the pillion seat of the Ducati X2.