Sometimes dreams come true, and sometimes those dreams turn into nightmares. That is the scenario that presented itself to promising Hampshire motocrosser Taylor Hammal over the past 18 months who saw his dream GP ride with Dixon Racing turn into injury turmoil which has tested the 22-year-old mentally and physically to the limit.
Images courtesy of Gabriel SS24 KTM – Architech Media
But they say you can’t keep the good guys down, and Taylor is certainly one of British Motocross’s good guys. Quietly unassuming, he lets his racing do the talking and until his injury, his performances were certainly making people sit up and notice with Revo British Championship podiums and some impressive MX2 World Championship results.
Having not raced since March 2022 in what was a shortlived injury comeback which ended in a nasty wrist injury, Hammal now finds himself part of the new-look Gabriel SS24 KTM team, which sees the successful and driven Gabriel team join forces with the experienced Shaun Simpson with European GP’s in the diary and Revo British Championship titles on their mind.
We caught up with Taylor to talk about the new team, his injury ordeal and more in part one of this candid interview:
Dirt Hub: Hey Taylor, It’s good to chat with you in positive circumstances. The last time we spoke, you were in the midst of your injury troubles, but since then we have heard about you signing for the Gabriel SS24 team so must we be stoked about that?
Taylor: Yeah. I think the last time we spoke it was a bit doom and gloom. It was pretty bad for a long time, as I think everyone knows. I think it was a year and a half of feeling like I was never gonna get out of it sort of thing. Then, the last surgery went well, and I was in conversation with them, and then that happened, and I signed to them.
It was kind of like a new sort of breath of fresh air for me really, everything was going on and I was in a real bad spot which is nice to get away from. It feels like a new chance again. I’ve been given this opportunity which, I need to take because after what’s happened with my wrist, it feels good to have somebody out there still wanting to help me. So yeah, I’m gonna give it a good go. And I’m really looking forward to working with them. They’ve been really good so far.
DH: So, how did it come about with the Gabriel SS24 Team? Did you have the chance of continuing with Steve Dixon?
Taylor: Yeah, so I did have the option to stay where I was for next year. But something just didn’t quite work out and you’ve got to think of yourself as well. I am not 18 anymore I can’t live at home for nothing. So yeah I did have the option to stay but it just didn’t make sense especially with what I went through.
To be honest, I didn’t really speak to Simon (Gabriel) at all throughout the whole year. I didn’t speak to anyone about it. I went and watched one race. That was it. So I didn’t speak to anyone. There were a couple of other people that started talking to me, but Simon is local, and he was literally straight to the point. And I quite like that there was no messing about, and if he tells you something, then he is going to do it.
I’ve actually been riding since the first of October. And I had it sorted out with Simon before then in September. But literally, it was about a couple of weeks of talking to him and Paul, who works there. To be honest, if I was Simon I would not have hired me because it’s a big gamble. And he did tell me that straight out, that “you are a massive gamble”, because at that point I hadn’t even rode, and I was still unsure of my wrist. But luckily, it’s all worked out fine.
DH: People who I have spoken to said that the Gabriel team is ideal for you as they really give their riders lots of support without having too much pressure, which is what you need really as it’s almost like a comeback season for you isn’t it?
Taylor: Yeah it is; I need to prove myself again this year. There is pressure as if I don’t perform, you know that it could be it really, but I’m really confident. I’ve been out riding a lot recently, and my speed is getting better again. I feel just as good as before, mostly. But we still have a way to go.
I’m really thankful to Simon, to be honest because it’s hard in British motocross to get anything and I am just really looking forward to it. They’re a real nice bunch of guys and they are easy to work with. I feel when I’m in a comfortable position with the people I’m working with, and happy in my environment, I ride a lot better, I’m not overdoing it or trying too hard. So yeah, hopefully, it will continue and we all get on well together.
DH: There is a lot to be said about being in a happy place, isn’t there? We have seen with some of our top British riders recently who haven’t seemed to be enjoying their riding, and their performances have suffered…
Taylor: In my case, I made the decision to not… I’m not saying I’ve stepped down, because Simon’s team, they’re really brilliant at what they’re doing, but Steve’s team is more recognized and people from the outside looking in are probably thinking, “what is he doing? He’s an absolute idiot”, he just decided to move on or jump ship, or people have maybe thought I was dropped or whatever. It may have looked like I’ve turned down, from the outside looking in, a professional GP team, and gone to a British team. But it’s all to do with how comfortable you feel really.
DH: When you were riding for Rob Hooper Racing it seemed to be that you were in a happy place then. Rob’s a really hands-on and supportive Team Boss and from what I gather, Simon’s team is very similar. Your family have always been a big part of your racing and with Rob they became part of the team. Is that the sort of element you are hoping to get back?
Taylor: Yeah, I mean, yeah, they’re really pushing for it, like stepping up to do Gp’s and stuff like that, which I’m really looking forward to. Because the main thing is, it’s Simon’s hobby. It’s not his business, the motocross, so he’s doing it because he likes it. The guys working for him like Paul, Gary and stuff, they’re doing it because they enjoy it as well. So they are not turning up to meetings and being pissed off or whatever. They’re all there to enjoy it and doing it for me as well. Yeah, like you say about my family, they always come to the meetings. The one time my dad didn’t come was the race I broke my wrist at last year. So I think he’s gonna have to come all the time again. But yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s like a breath of fresh air almost.
DH: Yeah, that’s good news. And, I know your injuries affected your work and your day-to-day living, so now you’re on the recovery route, what have you been up to? Have you been doing anything else work-wise?
Taylor: So I started riding on the first of October, and ever since then, I’ve been riding and slowly getting back into training. I am lucky to be in a position that I do it full-time now. So I’m paid to do this. If I’ve got spare time, I just help out around the house and where I live as I live on a farm, and stuff like that. So all I do is focus on training and riding, because if this is my last chance at it, I’m not going to go to work for the day and miss out on training, and then look back and think shit, I should have put an extra bit in. I’ve got the chance to do it again, full time like I did with Steve, it really helped me, and I saw the benefit. So yeah, so we’re pretty flat out. But it’s so time-consuming and in January, we’re going to Spain, so I wouldn’t be able to work as well.
DH: Do you think that makes a difference to your’s and your competitor’s mindset being a Pro racer?
Taylor: I don’t know. Mentally possibly, but most important physically, because, you know, I’ve got friend, Charlie who races, and he works full time, and he’s good enough to make it to the top at times, but he’s just held back because he works all week, and is trying to train but he is knackered, whereas, for me, my job is to train. So I know, going to the line. I’ve done it, and I’m not thinking about getting up and going to work tomorrow. Stuff like this, all affects you mentally, really, like you said.
The main thing I found when I first went full-time in January 2021, was that I trained so hard that when I went to that first race, I just felt so much more confident in myself, and I didn’t care about anyone else. I just went out there and rode, and I knew I was fit enough by a mile, and it just gives you that extra confidence, I would say.
DH: I think I remember you saying that when you signed for Steve and you were behind the gate of a British round, as a GP rider, it added to people’s expectations of you, but I can imagine it elevates you probably a little bit in your own mind as well. Did you find the sort of elevation in your stature mentally? Or was it the pressure that worked for you because your first British rounds were really good, weren’t they?
Taylor: Yeah. I was exactly the same and was exactly the same person when I went there, I didn’t do anything different. The first time I was on Steve’s team I’m sat there sort of thinking shit, Steve’s come here to watch me and Wilson at the time, and there are people looking up to me, like I did with Zach Osbourne and Mel Pocock and you know you just have to perform. There’s no, “I got an eighth today, I can do it again, and I’ll be alright”. You have to perform because it’s not just you, when you’re in that position you’re not just in this UK bubble. You’ve got, like Steve Guttridge, who’s the boss of Kawasaki Europe there and he’s looking at you, you’ve got sponsors that are in Europe and stuff; and honestly, you have got to perform for them. It’s not like it’s just someone in the UK, you know, it’s just a different sort of feeling. It’s a sort of pressure almost, you sort of burst out of the UK bubble, and all of the focus is on GP’s. So you’re almost treating the British rounds, like, practice almost. I am not saying it was easy, because it was really hard. But you know, it’s just your mindsets a bit different I’d probably say.
Keep your eyes out for the second part of our interview with Taylor when he talks more about his racing plans for 2023 and his new teammates.
