The Big Read: Marvin Musquin talks career in Europe and recent incredible highs
By TMX Contributor on 16th Dec 17
Marvin Musquin was born in La Reole, northern France and has been riding dirt bikes for as long as he can remember.
His rise to the top in Europe was pretty meteoric, winning the European 85cc Championship in 2004, followed by a French 85cc title and French SX2 (250) title.
After a wildcard appearance at the Italian MX2 GP in Faenza in 2007 where he placed sixth in the first moto, it was clear there was something special about the young French starlet.
In 2008 he placed 14th overall in MX2, despite missing a couple of rounds but it was the following two seasons in 2009 and 2010 that
Musquin really hit the headlines, winning back-to-back FIM World MX2 titles. Of course, it all sounds so straightforward. However, it didnt come without its problems!
After starting the season as an SRS Honda rider in 2009, and under the watchful eye of former French GP racer Yannig Kervella MM25 found himself leading the series after six rounds before a dramatic switch to the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team prior to round seven.
That move came with a few political implications as you can imagine, resulting in his non-participation of the GP of Sweden due to potential legal issues five rounds after his KTM debut.
Despite his non-start, Musquin wrapped up his first title in Brazil in the first moto.
His 2010 season was even more dominant and he was soon headed Stateside to try his luck in supercross, and if youve followed his career since his arrival there, then you will no doubt know the rest.
Heres a quick recap of the journey so far, including his memorable night at the Monster Energy Cup in Vegas in October, when he walked away with the $1million prize!
TMX: Are you living in Florida or California now?
Marvin Musquin: We do both. Right now we spend more time in Florida with the group and Aldon Baker for training, so we just go back to California when the racing is in California and testing with the team.
TMX: How old were you when you got your first bike?
MM: I was probably three.
TMX: Can you remember what it was?
MM: Yeah, I do remember because my brother Mickael was riding that bike, a QR50, and then I used it when he was done with it when he moved up to a bigger bike.
TMX: How old were you when you had your first race?
MM: I was five years old.
TMX: Can you remember your first race?
MM: Yeah, I do for sure. The bike was the slowest of the group and I was barely making it up the hill and I got last, so I was just crying and really disappointed.
TMX: How many amateur titles did you win before turning pro?
MM: Without counting the local championships, I won the European EMX85 in 2004, the French 85cc the next year, and one French SX2 title and thats it.
TMX: Was your dad a racer?
MM: Yes, my dad was racing in France, so thats where this all came from. He raced the Inter French Championship for Honda Moreau.
TMX: Did he ever push you as a kid?
MM: Not really, my dad always taught me to be safe but I remember one day, I didnt want to go and do that double down the hill because I was just too scared to clip it and it was steep, but he knew I was able to do it but I was scared and it was really the only time I feel like he got mad with me.
He walked back to the truck and then I went back and I did the double, but he never pushed me, but obviously told me to do my best to be safe.
TMX: When did you realise you wanted to be a professional racer?
MM: What age? Thats a tough question. You know, since the beginning its all I wanted to do.
I kind of want to say that unfortunately, when I was getting to school I was only thinking about dirt bikes but today Im living my dream; its really fortunate but I dont know what age, its really hard to say because you never know if youre gonna make it to the point where youre making a living out of it, you know?
Maybe when I started winning GPs in 2009.
TMX: Your second year in MX2 was 2009 with Bruno Lositos SRS Honda Team you were leading the championship after six rounds and then switched to Red Bull KTM. How did that happen, who was responsible for that move? Are you able to talk about it even?
MM: Its bad memories and good memories at the same time. Its hard to talk about it, it makes me mad in a certain way but in a different way it made me stronger and thats why Im here.
But we were in a difficult situation where the team had no money to keep going. They told us directly, We dont know if were going to be able to go to the next GP. So, from that, we started to find solutions.
TMX: And Honda were not prepared to put any more in either, clearly?
MM: No. We asked but they never did anything but I feel like its been like that forever and then here its the same because I dont see anybody on the 250 here (in Paris) thats any good.
TMX: How important was Yannig Kervella at that point of your career in 2009?
MM: Yeah, for sure he was important; at this point to have somebody right there to tell me what I had to do, both physically and on the bike.
I feel like it was the beginning of me to start learning.
TMX: Do you still speak with him?
MM: You know, we had a tough go right after I decided to stop (our partnership) but we had a difficult moment with injuries and moving to America but now we talk a little bit, so thats really nice.
We had great memories and bad memories unfortunately but at the end, we are human and we did good together.
TMX: Was it tougher than you thought, coming to the USA as a two-time world champion?
MM: Yeah, for sure and also moving to the USA, I used to train with different riders in Europe and then we moved to the US and it was only us two but yeah, even as a world champion I feel like I moved to the US and had to start from zero.
TMX: It took five years to win your 250SX title how much of a relief was it to finally get it done?
MM: It was a big relief, I came up really, really short in 2013, I was able to get a couple of podiums so right away in the first year of supercross, everything was tough and I got injured a few times.
In five years I only raced three years of supercross because of injuries so it was not easy, but a relief to get the title in 2015 because I knew it was going to be my last year in 250 and thats what I wanted.
TMX: With two MX2 world titles, obviously youre pretty decent outdoors, but its always been about SX for you, hasnt it?
Yeah, for sure. My dad built me and my brother a supercross track when I was 10 years old, so we were always riding supercross; on a 65cc for me, so yeah, a lot of supercross. I used to come to Bercy for many years to watch so its good.
TMX: How long now have you been working with Aldon Baker?
MM: Its going to be the fourth year, 2015 was my first year.
TMX: What is it about him that brings the best out of you and his riders in general?
MM: From my side, I just try to learn and just listen and trust in Aldon, hes been around for many years and seen a lot and won a lot of championships.
TMX: Is it as tough as everyone says it is?
MM: Yes and no! You always expect crazy things when people talked about Aldon in the past, maybe it was different then, but times have changed. But for me its been really good.
TMX: MEC Winner has it finally sunk in?
MM: Yes, I mean right away nobody could really believe it, it was a lot of fun and when I crossed the finish and met everybody I was just like Yeah, I did it!
It was crazy, on one night, winning all three main events, its awesome.
TMX: After tax though Maybe they should re-brand it the Monster energy 1.5 million so you can actually walk away with a million...
MM: Yeah! But in America, tax is kinda like lottery money like that but anyway, the racing part was awesome and the money is another thing.
TMX: How long have you been with Mathilde now, since 2008, 2009?
MM: No, earlier than that! 2000 and errrrr four or five? I think its about 14 years. (A moment with the wife ensues just to make sure his numbers are correct turns out its been 12 years). Weve been married since 2013 (another moment with the missus and it turns out it was 2012 clearly hes not good with numbers).
TMX: She has been a major influence in your career, hasnt she?
MM: Yeah, for sure. She takes care of a lot which for me makes it a lot easier to focus on what I have to do best on the bike and off the bike training. Its been awesome and I feel really lucky to have such a good person, you know?
TMX: Could you have left Europe for America had you not been with her do you think?
MM: I want to say no, but the thing is we did this together obviously. Shes taught me a lot, she is obviously a strong woman who lost her mother at the age of 14/15 so that was a big thing for her and that was the beginning of when we were together so she had to be strong and learn life quick.
And then she helped me a lot like I said, just lets me do my thing on my motorcycle as well as helping me with all the other things but for sure, moving to the US maybe I would have I dont know, theres so many things!
Like, I met Yannig because of her because he was friends with her dad, and he has helped a lot too.
TMX: What did/do your parents do for a living?
MM: My parents had, still have, a nightclub in the countryside, they still do that and now obviously at the same time, they try to take care of my brother too.
TMX: Talking of Mika, how is he? (Marvins older brother Mickael was injured in August 2015 in a stadium race in Germany where he was left paralysed from the shoulders down, so Marvin knows only too well the dangers of racing at the highest level).
MM: Yeah, hes doing ok. Its tough conditions but hes making the best out of it. Now he is moving to my parents house, where hopefully soon they will finish building a new house for him next to them, so that will be nice for him.
But hes still following every sport and me.
TMX: After a successful winter, MEC, RBSR, Paris) What next 450 SX and MX double in 2018?
MM: That is the goal, its going to be very tough, its a long championship, the competition is really tough but we will just try our best and try to enjoy it also.
Its a tough sport but it doesnt last very long and when you are at this level its tough but when you do good you enjoy it a lot, its fun. When I see Ryan Dungey, he had a great career, hes retired now but when you retire its a different story and now I just want to enjoy it too.
