Mattéo Roman is not yet a name known to the general public but he is part of the 2024 France Vitesse Team, with Enzo Bellon and Benjamin Caillet.
We took advantage of the summer break to get to know these young boys better who dream of accessing MotoGP
to take over from fabio quartararo et
Johann zarco. Certainly, the road is still long for these three French people currently racing in the European Talent Cup, the category which precedes the JuniorGP, the antechamber of the Grands Prix, but accompanied by the French Speed Federation and highly motivated, all hopes are allowed for them.
Let's start today with Mattéo Roman, aka “Moustic Rider”, who sports the number 13 without superstition on his Moto3 Honda NSF 250 R (Type MR03).
Mattéo Roman: “My name is Mattéo ROman, I'm 16 years old. I live in Vaucluse, near Aix en Provence. There, in September, I will start my first year, in the athletics sports section, as a boarder. I have been racing motorcycles since I was 4 years old. I started with trials, then I evolved on a PW with the Zarco school, I climbed the ranks to access 125 Promosport, and subsequently in OGP to reach ETC. »
What pushed you into motorcycle racing? Is there a biker dad, there is a dad who raced?
“No, my father is a Sunday biker, you could say that. He only watched MotoGP not long before I was born, because he had a friend who was interested in it. So it came from me. I discovered this in regracing on TV and it became a new passion for me. »
Yes, but you say that you were competing at 4 years old. It's really early...
“Since my father still liked motorcycles, I started cycling very, very early. And I liked, like everything that had two wheels, the scooter, the BMX, and it made me dream every time I was in the street and I saw a motorcycle go by. So, afterwards, I moved onto a small motorbike and little by little I evolved. And at the start, at 4 years old, I was more into trials, but at 6 years old, for my birthday, my parents offered me the opportunity to do a detection, a test, in the Zarco school which was doing a driving day not far from home. So I discovered the trail a bit like that, and it stuck.
We imagine that your journey to the ETC (European Talent Cup), which is still very high level since it is the pre-World Cup, was mainly made possible by the family environment
“Yes, until Pre-Moto 3, I only did races with my father, there was no team supervision or anything: it was my father and me, traveling with the caravan, as in France championship. »
Today, you are one of the 3 drivers selected for the France Vitesse Team. Why do you think and when were you spotted?
“I think the FFM believes in me, because this is my 3rd year of ETC, and each year I progress regularly. So they have known my level for a long time because I have already been in the High Level sector of the federation for almost 4 years, since the moment I started the OGP, 2021. So they know my level, my margin for progression and my seriousness in the implementation and success of my objectives. So that's why I think they have confidence in me and that I'm in the French team this year. »
Okay, it's only this year, because last year you weren't one of the selected ones...
“No, last year I lived in Spain so I couldn't be one of the selected ones, because I couldn't come to training. But this year, I returned to France to be able to benefit from it. »
Can we detail a little bit the help that the Federation provides you, in addition to probably a small financial contribution?
“The federation provides a lot of help in terms of coaching thanks to Alexis Masbou, during the courses organized as part of the speed sector, and during training and race weekends. For example Alexis can give me an outside point of view that I cannot have on the track, so he will position himself all around the circuit and put himself in strategic places to take videos of certain other fast drivers and compare with me. He explains to me in detail where I need to work, where it's good, what technique to use, what strategy to apply during the session, etc. Finally, it's a lot of coaching, and on top of that, during the federation's training and runs in Alès, or even beforehand during the pre-tests, it can be even further ahead, unlike the races where the Dorna blocks access a little. During training, he has every opportunity to coach us, to see us, to go to the side of the track, so that's really good. »
So basically, there are courses, training, pre-tests and there is the presence of Alexis Masbou at all the competitions?
“Yes, and on top of that, since last year the federation has been doing a course at Vichy, which has nothing to do with motorcycle riding per se, but more on other aspects of performance, including physicality or nutrition, for example. So there, in fact there were all the French motorcycle teams, so speed, cross, trial, etc., and we all met in the complex for the Olympics for 4 days, to do sports to prepare ourselves before the season. So I think that's a really good point, because in addition to our performances on the bike, they follow us really well in terms of physical performances. They also ask us to share our sports sessions that we do, which we record with our watches, so they see our revolution throughout the year, so that's really good. »
Okay, yes, physical monitoring, and we can also imagine that this type of training also helps to strengthen the collective spirit, emulation and mentality...
Compared to your expectations, how do you judge your season so far?
“It's a very complicated start to the season, because I had several injuries which prevented me from performing directly. So, I really started the championship at Portimao, because the results were not what I was aiming for at the start of the season. So we are working really hard this summer to really be ready for Jerez. But it's certain that the start of the championship was complicated because of the big injuries I suffered in pre-season, and even at Misano where I was hit in the first practice session, breaking wrist, then coming back from injury in Estoril I broke my tibia. »
These are indeed serious injuries. Are you back to 100%?
“Yes, I'm 100% since Portimao, and I'm spending my whole summer training to come back full force in Jerez. »
Do you have an anecdote to tell us that you are particularly proud of in your racing career?
“For me, it's not really results or places, it's more about having arrived where I am, in ETC with the French Team, after all the stages that I was able to achieve during my career, let's say pilot. So that's really it, it's not really a particular result. »
Okay, it’s more of a quality, tenacity, you don’t give up to get where you want…
" Exactly ! »
Okay, so that goes back to the question of what would be your greatest skill as a pilot. Tenacity ?
“It’s more about being hardworking, but it’s about being tenacious. We will say that they can go together but in this case my greatest quality is to be hardworking. »
And where do you think there is still room for improvement?
“Right now it’s being too cerebral and putting pressure on myself. Yes, that's what's failing at the moment, and that's why in addition to having Alexis Masbou as a coach, I have a mental coach who allows me to manage this pressure and be better. »
How do you see your future, when? How much more time do you have in ETC, then in JuniorGP, if everything goes well of course?
“My goal is to become a professional rider and access the world Moto3 within about 3 years. But at the same time, it is still important for me to continue my studies in the field of engineering. So I try to do both as best as possible because it's an area that I also enjoy. But my goal is still to reach Moto3 within 3 years. Afterwards, to see if I will go through the JuniorGP, because it is a path which can change. »
Who is your favorite MotoGP rider, and why?
“For me it is Pedro Acosta, because he is a driver who is very hardworking and professional with his team. He questions himself all the time, which makes him progress faster. And on top of that I have an anecdote, which is that when he was in Moto3, at the time with Ajo, he won his first race in Qatar starting from the pits. It reminded me of my first OGP race at Magny-Cours, where I started from the back of the grid and won the race by 13 seconds. That's why I love this pilot (laughs). »
Photo credit: Manu Tormo
Photo credit : @anthonyahunon
