Jacky Martens
Encyclopedia
Jacky Martens is a former professional motocross
rider and F.I.M.
500cc Motocross World Champion.
, before a switch to the KTM
factory racing team, culminating in a best result of second in the 500cc world championship in 1991.
For 1992 Martens switched to the Husqvarna
factory team, riding the fearsome Husqvarna 610 four-stroke machine. Many felt this was a backward step for Martens, as unlike today, four-stroke machines were seen as slow, bulky and uncompetitive compared to the two-stroke machines. At times Martens had a difficult 1992, but some encouraging results later in the year saw him finish 11th in the series.
However, 1993 was a different start. After a steady start to the series at Hawkstone Park
, Martens quickly proved himself and his machine, rising to the top of the 500cc World standings, with Swede Jorgen Nilsson. The championship was contested until the very final round, where Martens clinched the title, the first four-stroke rider to do so in over 20 years. In addition, Martens performances on the fearsome four-stroke machine earned him something of a cult following, particularly amongst British fans, where he was every bit as popular as the home riders.
1994 saw Martens once again challenge for the title, his main rival being another Swede, Marcus Hansson
. Once again the title was decided on the very final round, but a fall in the final round cost Martens the title, as he narrowly took second overall.
1995 and 1996 were blighted by injury, and Martens final season as a rider was in 1997. By this time, Martens was seen as something of an also-ran, but he managed to upset the form book and produce some impressive results, including a moto win at the British Grand Prix at Hawkstone Park
, which was popular with Martens' large contingent of British fans.
team. Under Martens' leadership, the team has won the World MX3 title with Belgian Sven Breugelmans
, and also support young Belgian Joel Roelants in the World MX2 series.
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
rider and F.I.M.
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....
500cc Motocross World Champion.
Racing career
Martens' first motocross race was in 1979, and by the mid 1980s he made the breakthrough into Grand Prix motocross, originally on a privately entered HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, before a switch to the KTM
KTM
KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and moped manufacturer.The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen. It started out as a metal working shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen...
factory racing team, culminating in a best result of second in the 500cc world championship in 1991.
For 1992 Martens switched to the Husqvarna
Husqvarna Motorcycles
Husqvarna Motorcycles, a subsidiary of BMW, is a company manufacturing motocross, enduro and supermoto motorcycles. The company began producing motorcycles in 1903 at Huskvarna, Sweden, as a branch of the Husqvarna armament firm which had supplied the Swedish army with rifles since 1689.-History:As...
factory team, riding the fearsome Husqvarna 610 four-stroke machine. Many felt this was a backward step for Martens, as unlike today, four-stroke machines were seen as slow, bulky and uncompetitive compared to the two-stroke machines. At times Martens had a difficult 1992, but some encouraging results later in the year saw him finish 11th in the series.
However, 1993 was a different start. After a steady start to the series at Hawkstone Park
Hawkstone Park
Hawkstone Park is an historic landscape park with pleasure grounds and gardens formerly belonging to Hawkstone Hall, near to Market Drayton, in Shropshire, England, UK, one mile east of the A49 road....
, Martens quickly proved himself and his machine, rising to the top of the 500cc World standings, with Swede Jorgen Nilsson. The championship was contested until the very final round, where Martens clinched the title, the first four-stroke rider to do so in over 20 years. In addition, Martens performances on the fearsome four-stroke machine earned him something of a cult following, particularly amongst British fans, where he was every bit as popular as the home riders.
1994 saw Martens once again challenge for the title, his main rival being another Swede, Marcus Hansson
Marcus Hansson
Marcus Hansson is an Swedish former 500cc Grand Prix motocross world champion.Hansson rode a Honda to win the F.I.M. 500cc motocross world championship in 1994, defeating Jacky Martens and Joël Smets. He was the last Swedish rider to win a motocross world championship.- References :...
. Once again the title was decided on the very final round, but a fall in the final round cost Martens the title, as he narrowly took second overall.
1995 and 1996 were blighted by injury, and Martens final season as a rider was in 1997. By this time, Martens was seen as something of an also-ran, but he managed to upset the form book and produce some impressive results, including a moto win at the British Grand Prix at Hawkstone Park
Hawkstone Park
Hawkstone Park is an historic landscape park with pleasure grounds and gardens formerly belonging to Hawkstone Hall, near to Market Drayton, in Shropshire, England, UK, one mile east of the A49 road....
, which was popular with Martens' large contingent of British fans.
Post-racing career
After retiring, Martens stayed in the sport by assisting to run the factory Husqvarna team. However in recent years, Martens has been a successful team principal, running the successful factory JM Racing KTMKTM
KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and moped manufacturer.The company was founded in 1934 by engineer Hans Trunkenpolz in Mattighofen. It started out as a metal working shop and was named Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen...
team. Under Martens' leadership, the team has won the World MX3 title with Belgian Sven Breugelmans
Sven Breugelmans
Sven Breugelmans is a Belgian motocross world champion.Breugelmans won the 2005 F.I.M. MX3-GP motocross world championship riding for the KTM team run by former world champion Jacky Martens. He finished as runner-up to Yves Demaria in the 2006 and 2007 MX3-GP world championships, before...
, and also support young Belgian Joel Roelants in the World MX2 series.