From the outside, the Superbike World Championship seems to embody one of the last great motorsport dreams: traveling the globe, riding exceptional machines, belonging to an admired sporting elite, and making a comfortable living. But Xavi Forés methodically dismantles this romantic vision in the podcast. Fast and Curiousrevealing a much harsher reality, often invisible, sometimes almost indecent.
Because while 2018 was the best season of his career — five podium finishes, a Ducati The satellite race, which brought the team to the brink of victory and the title of best independent pilot, was also the prelude to immense disappointment. Many imagined Fores propelled towards a factory ride, or at the very least assured of a solid contract for 2019. The truth is stark: the best offer he received was in an annual salary also… 12 euros.
Yes : 1 euros per month to compete at the top of a world championship.
Fores He tells it bluntly: I received a few offers to race in Superbike. Frankly, it was worse than working at McDonald's or in a supermarket. They were offering me 12,000 euros a year. »
So, after his most successful season, he made an unimaginable decision for a top driver: he refused and retired. Accepting such a salary after racing with the best would have meant abandoning all professional dignity. And he knows that others, less fortunate or less visible, were forced to say yes. We're talking about pre-pandemic figures here; the situation has only worsened since then.
Xavi Forés: " It was worse than working at McDonald's or the supermarket. »
The comparison with the higher categories is equally staggering. Jack MillerA few weeks ago, it was revealed that some MotoGP rookies in 2025 were earning 2 euros per monthIn MotoGP. In an era where budgets are reaching record highs, the salaries of young riders are raising questions.
Xavi Fores continues, and his testimony takes on a more intimate dimension:
« I regularly reached the podium at the world championships. Each podium finish earned me 1,000 euros.A factory rider, on the other hand, earns 20,000 or 30,000. I thought I had a chance in a factory team. I was very disappointed. It was a real shockThat's when I realized that the world of motorcycling wasn't what I'd imagined. »
The disparity is staggering: being one of the best privateers in the world, racking up podium finishes, and receiving the same bonus as a modest employee in any company. Meanwhile, factory drivers sign agreements thirty times higher—a financial and symbolic chasm.
Xavi Fores will return, however, in 2020, riding a Kawasaki satellite, for one final season. Then he will retire for good, but not without remaining in the paddock: he is currently a test driver for BimotaA prestigious role, but far removed from the limelight of competition. 40 yearsHe knows that a return as a regular starter is no longer possible, but he insists on a fundamental truth that many ignore: A professional driver has to invest a lot of money just to prepare and train. »
And perhaps this is where the most disturbing dimension of the testimony of Xavier ForésBecause beyond the lack of contractual recognition, it is the very economy of professional piloting that seems to have become dysfunctional: a job that costs more than it brings in, a discipline that demands excellence but sometimes pays less than a precarious job, a dream that tips into the absurd.
Today, the profession of motorcycle racer no longer holds the prestige it once did, even in its most prestigious categories. And the story of Xavi Fores acts as a stark reminder: behind the apparent glory of the podiums lies the world of Superbike — and to a lesser extent, that of... MotoGP — still relies on unimaginable personal sacrifices and a silent precariousness that only passion allows one to bear… until the day when it is no longer enough.
