Jacky Martens a former world champion and now a team manager as he runs his own team – JM Honda Race after previously running KTM and Husqvarna machinery in the past. There aren’t many things Martens hasn’t experienced in the sport as he’s been in the paddock for many different eras.
We caught up with the Belgian to discuss a range of topics after the MXGP of Trentino which you can read, watch or listen too…
GateDrop: Jacky, obviously the start of the season in Argentina didn’t go to plan for Brent Van Doninck. Can you just tell me a little about that event and what happened after. It seemed to be a horror story to be honest but thankfully he’s making a recovery now in Belgium…
Martens: Yeah, Brent now after the GP in Argentina… he’s okay to get another operation in Belgium. Actually, I think in two or three months he will be back. About Argentina, there’s already so many stories around. It was not nice, but I think it was a good experience for everybody and I think for the future it will be better.
It’s just an issue in communication from the organiser but sometimes in this country it’s not easy. Yeah, it’s a little bit you know, it’s always easy to say who is at fault, he’s the fault but it’s more like communication from insurance and that makes everything a little bit more complicated. But I think we had a good meeting with FIM and with Infront Moto Racing. I think for the future it will be better.
GateDrop: Just on Brent, obviously a young and Belgian talent and you’re very good at developing young talent. He was looking good but unfortunately an injury last year and now this injury, but I think it’s a case of getting him back fit and hopefully he can end the season strong because he has potential to be a top 10 guy…
Martens: Yeah but he’s still working a lot and he’s professional. He really wants to come back as soon as possible and he works hard. I believe in him, and I still keep believing in him and yeah it was for me a good choice and a good rider.
GateDrop: Hakon Osterhagen, you’ve also picked him up for this season. Very, very talented especially in his 125cc days but again injuries haven’t been kind to him. I think it’s important for him to stay fit this season but obviously you spotted a talent in him and that’s why you decided to sign him…
Martens: Yeah with Hakon, we think he needs some time. He has had some big injuries, the milt, the femur… You know everything is coming in one time and to find your confidence I think it takes some time, but I hope it comes soon because this is not a position where we want to be.
GateDrop: Tim Edberg, he got the fill in ride. What made you sign Tim and actually the speed’s not so bad considering he’s been away from the GP paddock for so long…
Martens: I think Tim, I was just looking and asking everybody who can be available and yeah Tim did good in Sweden. In the past he was quite a good talent but also made some wrong team choices, bad luck. Yeah, you know it’s not always easy as a young rider to find the space and I took the decision to take him as a fill in rider. Yeah, the only thing now is to get him ready. It’s now the second week on the bike, he takes his first points and in the first race he almost got the holeshot. I think he will be ready in a few GP’s. You know, all the other riders have maybe experienced two or three years in the MXGP class and it’s not easy class. You know, it’s the top of the world for the racing but I hope if we can reach one time between 10 and 15 then I’m happy. But now the most important is to get in good shape and get used to the speed.
GateDrop: You aren’t getting any younger, you’ve been around the GP’s for years and years. How many years do you see yourself running this team for? You must still obviously love it and enjoy it…
Martens: Yeah, I love it and I still enjoy it. You know if it is otherwise then you don’t do this job. I like to support young riders, I like to work on the bikes, I want to do everything, you know. I like it but for sure when you have good results it makes life more easy.
GateDrop: Just on this year what are your goals for the riders that you have under the awning?
Martens: Like in the middle until the next half of the season I want that we fall every time with good starts and then in the top 10, I’d be happy with my riders.
GateDrop: Obviously you ran a factory team for a number of years at Husqvarna but you ended up losing that. What was it like processing from that going to Honda? Was it obvious from day one you’d be Honda or did you have a lot of meetings with brands and things like that? What’s that process like on searching for a new brand?
Martens: For me it was what I think everybody knows about the situation, it was not nice. But I look only forwards, I don’t have to look backwards. For me now small doors class and big doors open. With Honda I have a dream of a relation, not too much effort, they go straight to the point, that’s it. We are quite free to do what we want. And like now also with the call, also with the service as a sponsor and they support us with the stickers. We make every GP some special bikes, I like and it’s another motivation. But the main goal is to bring young riders to the top and that is still my target. With this I have the best feeling, the better feeling.
GateDrop: Can you tell me a little bit about the support you get from Honda? Obviously you’re not full factory but they’re still giving you a little bit of support?
Martens: We work for Honda Moto Japan. I really enjoy, I have a good relation with them. I know we have good collaboration. It’s nice to do and I think with Honda we have one of the fastest bikes in the field. That for me is also nice to have.
GateDrop: Obviously since you were in the paddock racing, compared to now, the sport has changed a lot. It’s so professional these days…
Martens: Yes, it’s professional but I think it’s always been professional. The competition in the paddock at the moment, how can I say it, it’s not a shame but it gets more important than the rest. I think at the moment it’s more important to invest in young riders because it’s becoming difficult to get, like everybody knows, the full start line. To fill up the start line is not easy. I think you have to start better to invest in the new generation.
GateDrop: 20 GP’s a year, there’s like six fly away rounds, on the budget it must be quite tough. What’s your thoughts on the flyaway GPs? Obviously you can’t really just have 20 rounds in Europe because it’s then not a true world championship. But at the same time maybe there’s too many fly aways?
Martens: A lot of fly aways but if you reach the budget, we will then do the fly aways. If you don’t reach the budget, we don’t go. But we make it happen every year but for sure, your riders need to be fit and need to be in the top 10 because otherwise the investment is too expensive.
GateDrop: So, would you like maybe a little bit more support from Infront to get to those rounds? Obviously, the factory teams are okay.
Martens: When you can’t reach it with the budget, it stops. No money then we don’t go. But we still made it 30 years and I hope we continue the same way. With Infront, I think they bring us on a level like we can only dream about. But for sure it’s expensive but the sponsorship we have compared to 20 years ago is also much more.
