Less than a year ago Raül Torras, the pilot español picked up the phone to answer the call The Newspaper of Spain, from Iberian Press. The death of the pilot Davy Morgan in the Isla de Man Tourist Trophy It had aroused the interest of the newsroom because, as the drama cooled, the number was even more shocking: 265 deaths in the slightly more than 100 editions that have been disputed, since 1907. “He was more than a friend, a mentor and an example”, Torras said. A year later, the one who has died in the most dangerous motorcycle race in the world is him.
Raül Torras Martínez, 46, passed away this Tuesday, in an “accident that took place in Alpine, between mile markers 16 and 17, on the third and final lap of the race,” according to the organization of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, mourning the motorcycling and Spanish sport in general. This mosso d’esquadra knew that he was risking his life every time he attended this test. And, after five participations, he has lost it.
“Passion for motorcycles”
What was it that led to participate in such a demanding test? “The challenge to myself and the passion for motorcycles”he explained in conversation with this newspaper about a race that takes place on a 60-kilometer circuit on urban roads, with lampposts, curbs, walls, asphalt without grip, changing weather… A madness from another time that survives in the middle of 2023 .
There are six days of free practice, essential to take the pulse of a circuit that, due to its difficulty and risk, must be known by heart. Then, five days of race practice and four of competition. Unlike the circuit racing launched from a starting grid, the pilots start one by one, with differences of 10 seconds, in training sessions and races. Before, in pairs. From there, 260 curves, curbs, guardrails, potholes and average speeds of 212 km/h on roads that in Spain would be limited to 30 or 50 km/h in normal use.
“Outside the circuits I am a person like any other, who works as a police officer (Mosso d’esquadra de Tráfico) to earn a living. The search for sponsors is titanic.”
“Sometimes it’s hard to carry on”
How did Raül Torras’s entourage understand his participation in this and other tests from which he knew he might not return one day? “They suffer, but they know that I am doing what I like the most. I don’t have vacations, I dedicate 99% of my free time to this. Basically I live by and for it. Sometimes it gets hard to carry onbut then you get to places like the Isle of Man and it makes all the sacrifice worthwhile”, justified the Catalan pilot, who, like all his teammates, had learned to relativize pain and death.
In fact, Torras criticized the bad reputation that the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy had in comparison with other risky sports activities: “The deaths are explained in the same way as all those who perished trying to get on the Everest. There are more than 5,000 bodies of dead climbers left behind in the Himalayas; and no one says anything… But eInstead of crampons and ice ax, you use a motorbike: you are a madman looking for death. What do we learn from all this? That you have to watch and be safe. Don’t trust yourself: calm down and breathe…”.
Despite the increase in the accident rate, the road race will not stop growing after breaking a record number of fans and being commercialized on live TV. In Spain, RTVE has bought its rights. Media coverage also increases criticism and the voices calling for its cancellation. Today, unfortunately, even more than yesterday.
2023-06-07 11:27:09
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