Interview: Taylor Hammal – Down but not out!

After showing his speed and talent in 2020 in the MX Nationals with Rob Hooper Racing, Taylor Hammal was awarded a dream ride with Steve Dixon’s Bike It MTX Kawasaki team in 2021, giving him a well deserved high profile ride in both the World and British Motocross Championships.

Images courtesy of Chewy Media

The dream though has turned into somewhat of a nightmare after a crash in Holland has left him still struggling with an arm and wrist injury and with an uncertain 2022.  We caught up with Taylor just ahead of him travelling to Belgium where he has undergone surgery on his troublesome injury, with the hope that this will be the end of a long and tormenting road to recovery…

Dirt Hub: Hey Taylor, it’s been a while since we heard from you.  The last time we spoke was at the start of the year when you were just starting riding for Dixon Racing which must have been like a dream come true?

Taylor: Yeah the beginning of the year was nice and positive, I got on a team that I’ve been dreaming of getting on, like everyone does, doing Grand Prix and stuff. I worked really hard throughout the beginning of the year on my training, but I didn’t do too much riding, it was probably the least amount of riding I have ever done.

So then I did the first three British rounds. I was really happy with how it went actually. I was second in points before I crashed, and I had a second overall. I was really surprised how well it went but then I got injured at Canada Heights and cut the end of my finger off, and it slowly went downhill from there until July when I crashed in Holland.  It was what I have always been working towards and  I finally got it. I was just so very dedicated and I just put my all into it but unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but no it was good. Well, the start at least.

DH: I think after 2020 a lot of people could see what you are capable of so I don’t think many people would have been surprised by your results. How about the team, were they happy with your performances?

Taylor:  I’m not an overly confident type of person so I was kinda just playing it by ear as to how I was going to do, so I was quite happy when I realized I was second in the British. I mean a couple of years ago when you hear that Steve’s teams turning up to the British you know they are the ones to watch, and dad told me “that’s you this year. Now you’re the one riding that bike so you better get your ass in gear.”

The team don’t put any pressure on me but you just expect to be right up there. I couldn’t go home without a podium. The first one I missed out by one point, but I think Steve was still happy. It’s quite hard to know what Steve’s thinking sometimes but from what I heard he was quite happy with how well I was doing before I crashed and at the British I think they were quite happy because I was second in points. But there was no pressure on me really, but I like to at least try my best and I expect things from myself.

DH: So the start was positive and so was the British GP, you must have been buzzing about riding in front of your home fans?

Taylor: Yeah, looking back on it, it was a brilliant weekend. It was pretty good weekend for everyone. Technically it wasn’t my first GP as I did one back in 2020, but mentally this was the full sort of experience on a GP team. I had no idea where I was gonna line up. I remember coming round in qualifying and I was quite surprised because I wasn’t overly nervous. I was just excited to be there. And I had no idea where I’d be so I came round in qualifying and I didn’t really want to look at the pit board in the first lap. I did another lap and thought I’d be quite far down, but I came round and saw 12th on there I was like shit bloody hell that’s a lot better than I thought but yeah, I did slowly drop back and ended up 19th in qualifying but I think there was nearly a full lineup so I was quite happy.

Then I surprised myself in the first race. I started outside the top 20. I just had no idea what place I was in. I was just riding past quite a few good names. And then on the last lap, they put on the board that I was 12th and I was like yeah, that’s quite good, because I was only on a standard bike. I didn’t have a race engine or anything. That was the first time I rode since cutting my finger. So I was quite happy with that. I remember pulling in and Dad gave me a big hug and said “that was awesome”. But at the time I didn’t really think anything of it. Then in the second race, I had some goggles problems, but yeah I just love going to Matterley because everyone’s there who I know and I took my girlfriends parents for the first time to a motocross meeting and they liked it.

DH: You then rode in a few GP’s overseas, how did you find them compared to Matterley?

Taylor: I only did Matterely, Italy and Holland. When I went to Italy I wasn’t kind of nervous, but it’s a different atmosphere from when you go to your home track. Then you’re sitting under the start line, and your in Italy and they are calling out everyone’s name… and they get down to the Italian riders and then there’s a massive cheer and flares going off for them and you feel like the smaller fish, whereas in England that was for you but its quite a cool experience. It was definitely something that was new to me, but once the gate drops. I was completely back to normal.

DH: So you went to Italy and then Holland where you had your crash didn’t you?

Taylor: So I had my crash in Holland in the first race. So I actually crashed in the first corner, of the first race. I got back up and I was well mad at myself. I got back up and I was passing so many riders including some good names and I was running in 15th according to my Dad but I didn’t have a clue where I was, I thought was well outside of the points. Then I came round this little corner before the wall jump and got out of shape and lost it and the throttle came on, and I did that and hit the jump. In Holland, they have their fences right on the track. So that is like the track limits, and the other side of the fence are the spectators and I just hit the fence and went over. So I came down. I don’t really know what happened. I just sort of came down; hit the ground and then broke the bottom of my arm and my wrist in three bits and it was quite bad. That was quite a scary crash really. I think it could have been a lot worse. If I went straight off the jump it probably would have been a lot better. But in hindsight, there was nothing I could have done, other than not get out of shape for the crash.

DH: Have you done any riding since then?

Taylor: No. I tried to practice once. It’s been really rough the last few months. I tried to practice when I had my cast off. I was told by the doctors to just take it easy and slowly get back into it, and this was like, well after I crashed. But I sat on the bike and thought “oh that doesn’t feel great”. I thought I was just a bit stiff and that would just get into it. And I tried and I just couldn’t do it, so we packed up and went home and I have not ridden since. It was July the 18th when I crashed, and I did probably 20 minutes in total riding in that one day, and then I’ve not ridden since so it has not been good.

DH: So what’s been done to it, has it been pinned?

Taylor: So when I crashed I had it put back in place over there and then they told me to come back to England and that I’ll need some sort of surgery to hold it there. So I came back and went to the hospital and they said “It’s fine where it is, just let it heal” So then it had six weeks in a cast and they took it off and said, “it looks good, just take it easy.” So I had no pins or anything. For the break that I had everyone I know who has had it has had a plate and pins in. I was kinda worried so I had laser surgery then a month and a half month after I started getting really bad pain, and I was told to go and see a specialist in Manchester so I went up there and it was still broken.

It wasn’t just a crack. It was well out of place. I really have no idea what happened there because I didn’t do anything that would cause it to get any worse and they said to wait two months and it should heal back. So at this point, it’s the start of October and the pain just kept me increasing. I’ve done all I can, I’ve had laser, been up to Manchester, I’ve seen loads of specialists and I’ve done hyberberic chambers, most of them have tried to help it and nothing has worked. I’ve been messed around by so many doctors, so finally, after being messed around so long, and wasting so much money I got the number for that Dr. Klaes in Belgium (renowned sports injury specialist). So I’m going to go over there to see him to finally get it fixed.

I have to have surgery, and then yeah, hopefully, that’s it but while this is going on the time is ticking for next season. It’s been pretty rough. So I’m hoping this will sort it and hopefully, this will be the last of it and fix it.

Image courtesy of Warren Kee

Dirt Hub: That all sounds so frustrating. So do you have any plans for next year?

Taylor: The GP’s start early next year in February which would be a struggle for me to make after having surgery. I’m just waiting on the British. If that doesn’t start until later I’m hoping I can make the first round of that. I’m not going to be up to 100% fitness and I won’t have had that much bike time, but if I can be on the line that will be good.  So yeah, I just have to see how I feel after recovering from surgery.

Dirt Hub: Based on that then it must be hard to have any real expectations of what you would like to achieve next year then?

Taylor: No, I mean, it’s hard after this year. I want to win the British next year. That was my main goal, but it will be difficult. I would just like to, even if I start slow, just at least get back to where I was and better.  So definitely podium every British. Maybe not the first one and then by the end of the GP’s be getting top 10’s. I didn’t get one this year but that’s where I would like to be. But I will just have to see how I’m feeling but I don’t think it will take me too long to get back up to speed and fitness.