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The thing that gets you hooked is that they are very short races, or sprints, and they are very competitive.
Hi Marc. We’ve always seen you having a blast on the dirt track. For those of us who are new to this sport, can you tell us about what’s involved? How is a GP champion chosen?
Hello to all my friends here at Box Repsol, it’s great to be here with you on the Team blog. Dirt tracking is a type of motorbike speed racing that began in the United States. It takes place on clay or dirt surfaced oval tracks with special tyres for water. The bikes don’t have front brakes, so the key is to control skidding. Usually there are multiple qualifying rounds of several laps and a final race, where the winner is decided.
We know that you’ve enjoyed dirt tracking for quite some time. Did you start when you were young? Why do you like it so much? What is it that keeps you hooked?
I started when I was five, the same age I started with Motocross. They held races close to Cervera and I liked it. We went there to spend the afternoon-evening, which is when they held the races, and I had a great time. The thing that gets you hooked is that they are very short races, or sprints, and they are very competitive.
Does what you learn with dirt tracking help you as a MotoGP rider? How does it help you improve?
All types of motorbiking can teach you little things that help you ride in MotoGP. With dirt tracking, you learn a lot about controlling skidding and handling the gas.
Do you go dirt tracking with your brother? Has he ever beat you at Rufea?
Yes, we often go dirt tracking in Rufea, although we haven’t been going as much lately. Of course he’s beat me a few times, he even got ahead of me in one of the rounds of the Superprestigio DX Barcelona.
Every December you compete with the best dirt track racers. What do you feel after having won multiple times?
It’s great to be able to share the track with some of the best dirt track racers in the world, and with so many other speed riders who are also very good. Above all else, we have a good time, but of course the goal is always to win and it’s special to do so in front of a full house at the Palau Sant Jordi.
Do you see yourself aspiring to be the Dirt Track World Champion? Do you think you’re good enough to compete with the best?
With dirt tracking, like any type of racing, to be a champion you’ve got to be 100% dedicated, and it’s clear that my priority is MotoGP. Dirt tracking is just another part of my training programme. By all means I enjoy racing every now and again, like I do at the end of the year at Palau Sant Jordi, but it’d be more difficult to do a whole championship.
How would you explain the difference in the adrenaline rush you get from the speed of MotoGP and the skidding of dirt tracking?
The two sports are quite different. In MotoGP you have the adrenaline from the speed, you have to be super precise in each lap, and you can’t lose your concentration. In dirt tracking each lap is different, there is skidding and you have to be very precise with the gas. It’s true that since the races are so short and unpredictable that makes them very exciting, and you can go from having a shot at winning to fighting for eighth place.
Apart from dirt tracking, what other types of motorbike racing do you like?
I like everything with two wheels… hahaha! Apart from dirt tracking, I also do Supermotard and Motocross.
Is there anywhere you go apart from the Rufea circuit?
Yes, there’s quite a few circuits around where I live, although I usually go to Rufea. There’s also one at Circuit d’Alcarràs, where I also go, and at l’Albi, where we train with friends. We alternate between those three circuits.
What are dirt tracking tracks like? Do the riders get covered in mud when they’re racing?
You don’t get too dirty because the track always has to be in perfect condition before you race. This is one of the most difficult things with dirt tracking because it needs to be a tiny bit wet—without being dusty or muddy—in order to have the best time. Even so, I’ve always liked offroading: mud, dust, dirt…in the end it’s where I started and where I train
Have you ever been dirt tracking and tried stepping on the gas like you were in a MotoGP?
In the end, any time you get on a bike to compete you try to step on the gas as much as you can, give it your all, and push the limits. Whether it’s dirt tracking, MotoGP, or Motocross, we’re always looking to push the limits.
Thanks for joining us for yet another week. We hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have, learning the ins and outs of a sport that, despite being one of Marc Márquez’s passions, not many people know much about. We’ll see you at the circuits and back here on the blog, Box Repsol fans!