Steve Martin (motorcycle racer)
Encyclopedia
Steve Martin is a motorcycle
road racer
from Australia
. He currently resides in Switzerland. He is the 2009 World Endurance Champion for YART (Yamaha Austria Racing Team), but is a veteran of the World Superbike Championship, and former champion of the Australian series.
After success in trials, he started racing in his home Superbike
Championship in 1990, initially on a factory Suzuki
. Years on private bikes followed, but he later earned a Ducati ride. He led the 1998 standings until a crash at Phillip Island
, but won the title in 1999. He also did an assortment of wild card rides in the Superbike World Championship
rounds at Phillip Island over the years, as well as four 500cc Grand Prix races in 1999
.
After that, he moved to the Australian Supersport series, before moving to the Superbike World Championship
full time for , riding on Pirelli
tyres for DFXtreme. He scored a pair of top-6 finishes at Imola in , and set fastest lap at the Lausitzring that year, but he was not a frontrunner for much of 2001 or . However, he stepped up to 8th overall in and 7th in , along with 3 pole positions and five podiums. He spent the next 2 years with Carl Fogarty
's Foggy Petronas team, which struggled to be competitive with its three-cylinder machine, although beating team-mates Garry McCoy
and Craig Jones
in those years. He returned to DFXtreme for , turning down other offers as he believed the team had enough funds for the full season. It soon became clear that this was not the case - he nearly lost the ride after 2 races, but continued for rounds 3 and 4, before leaving the team as it could not provide a full-time entry. He moved into the World Supersport Championship at Assen
, replacing injured countryman Kevin Curtain Later in he contested the Suzuka 8 Hours
race, and he made World Superbike starts on Yamaha
and Suzuki
equipment, but finished the season with a broken metatarsal
In 2008 he retired from World Superbike racing but joined the World Superbike Championship as a commentator along side Jonathan Green
. He continued to race a Superbike and finished 1st in the World Endurance Championship for YART (Yamaha Austria Racing Team). BMW also retained his services as a development rider for their new S1000RR Superbike project., which led to a one-off return at Kyalami
in place of Troy Corser
.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He currently resides in Switzerland. He is the 2009 World Endurance Champion for YART (Yamaha Austria Racing Team), but is a veteran of the World Superbike Championship, and former champion of the Australian series.
After success in trials, he started racing in his home Superbike
Superbike racing
Superbike racing is a category of motorcycle racing that employs modified production motorcycles. Superbike World Championship is the international superbike championship, and national superbike championships are held in many countries as well, including the United Kingdom, the United States,...
Championship in 1990, initially on a factory Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
. Years on private bikes followed, but he later earned a Ducati ride. He led the 1998 standings until a crash at Phillip Island
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing racing circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The circuit was opened in 1956.-Road circuit:...
, but won the title in 1999. He also did an assortment of wild card rides in the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
rounds at Phillip Island over the years, as well as four 500cc Grand Prix races in 1999
1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1999 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 51st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:The dominant reign of Honda's Mick Doohan came to an end with serious injuries suffered in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. In his absence, his Honda team-mate Àlex Crivillé...
.
After that, he moved to the Australian Supersport series, before moving to the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
full time for , riding on Pirelli
Pirelli
Pirelli & C. SpA is a diverse multinational company based in Milan, Italy. The company, the world’s fifth largest tyre manufacturer, is present in over 160 countries, has 20 manufacturing sites around the world and a network of around 10,000 distributors and retailers.Founded in Milan in 1872,...
tyres for DFXtreme. He scored a pair of top-6 finishes at Imola in , and set fastest lap at the Lausitzring that year, but he was not a frontrunner for much of 2001 or . However, he stepped up to 8th overall in and 7th in , along with 3 pole positions and five podiums. He spent the next 2 years with Carl Fogarty
Carl Fogarty
Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty is the most successful World Superbike racer of all time in terms of the number of championships and number of race wins...
's Foggy Petronas team, which struggled to be competitive with its three-cylinder machine, although beating team-mates Garry McCoy
Garry McCoy
Garry McCoy is a professional motorcycle racer. He has won races in the 125 cc and 500 cc World Championships, as well as in the Superbike World Championship. He is noted for his oversteering style of riding, earning him the nickname "The Slide King".McCoy was born in Sydney...
and Craig Jones
Craig Jones (motorcycle racer)
Craig Jones was an English motorcycle racer. He grew up in the town of Northwich and attended Charles Darwin Primary School and later Hartford High School.-Biography:...
in those years. He returned to DFXtreme for , turning down other offers as he believed the team had enough funds for the full season. It soon became clear that this was not the case - he nearly lost the ride after 2 races, but continued for rounds 3 and 4, before leaving the team as it could not provide a full-time entry. He moved into the World Supersport Championship at Assen
Assen
Assen is a municipality and a city in the north eastern Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe. It received city rights in 1809. Assen's main claim to fame is the TT Circuit Assen the motorcycle racing circuit, where on the last Saturday in June the Dutch TT is run...
, replacing injured countryman Kevin Curtain Later in he contested the Suzuka 8 Hours
Suzuka 8 Hours
The is a motorcycle endurance race held at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan each year. As the name implies, the race runs for eight hours consecutively and teams are composed of two riders and one alternate.-History:...
race, and he made World Superbike starts on Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Company
, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...
and Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
equipment, but finished the season with a broken metatarsal
In 2008 he retired from World Superbike racing but joined the World Superbike Championship as a commentator along side Jonathan Green
Jonathan Green
Jonathan Green can refer to:*Jonathan Green , freelance writer of fantasy and science fiction*Jonathan Green , journalist and author*Jonathan Green , , naval surgeon, dermatologist...
. He continued to race a Superbike and finished 1st in the World Endurance Championship for YART (Yamaha Austria Racing Team). BMW also retained his services as a development rider for their new S1000RR Superbike project., which led to a one-off return at Kyalami
Kyalami
Kyalami is a motor racing circuit located in Midrand, Gauteng province, South Africa. The circuit has been used for Grand Prix and Formula One races and has hosted the South African Grand Prix many times. In recent years, the area surrounding the circuit has developed into a residential and...
in place of Troy Corser
Troy Corser
Troy Gordon Corser is a professional motorcycle road racer, the and Superbike World champion....
.