There’s no doubt that talent is essential for success in racing. But raw talent alone is no longer enough. If you take a look at the top riders in the major racing series, you’ll often find not only exceptional talent but also other surprising parallels. Their first experiences with motorcycles usually began in early childhood; often, a parent was actively involved in racing themselves and encouraged their child from an early age. Furthermore, many of the outstanding riders from MotoGP, World Superbike, and the EWC Endurance World Championship are also excellent off-road riders.
German rider Marvin Fritz also embodies all of these qualities. His father, Wolfgang, was on the verge of entering the World Road Racing Championship himself in the 1990s and gave his son his first motocross bike at the tender age of three. Just one year later, young Marvin competed in his first race. He won his first title at age six, and shortly thereafter he even outperformed Ken Roczen in European competitions. A successful MX career would not have been out of the question. But his dad had other plans, and in 2002 they switched to road racing.
Aber auch hier mischte Marvin Fritz schnell ganz vorne mit, arbeitete sich durch die Nachwuchsklassen und wurde 2014 erst auf einer Yamaha R6 Meister in der IDM Supersport, 2016 folgte dann auf Yamaha auch der Titel bei den Superbikes. Immer mit dabei die Startnummer 7, die er von seinem großen MX-Idol James „Bubba“ Stewart übernommen hat. Eine Kombination, die ihn auch beim Wechsel in die EWC und zum Yamaha Austria Racing Team erhalten blieb. Sie erwies sich auch bei legendären Rennen wie den 24 Stunden von Le Mans und dem Bol d`Or als Erfolgsgarant und in der Saison 2023 fuhr Marvin Fritz an der Seite von Karel Hanika und Niccolo Canepa nach sieben Jahren auf der YART-R1 den Titel in der Endurance World Championship ein.
Find out how to survive the rigors of a 24-hour race, what a team needs to become world champions in endurance racing, and why Marvin Fritz sometimes calls himself a croissant in this episode of “Slicks and Sunglasses”!