Having a former FIM 125cc Motocross World Champion in the family can certainly be a source of pressure as well as considerable pride, but Paolo Maschio – Kawasaki was born four years after his uncle Mickaël won the 2002 title so he never felt any weight of expectation on his young shoulders.
“My uncle stopped his career the year I was born,” he said, “so I didn't grow up with his races or anything like that on television as I always saw Tony Cairoli or Ken Roczen on the screen. As I grew up, started the sport and met people who had been with him, I realised that he had achieved something great.
“So, yes, Mickaël is my uncle and the basis of motorsport in our family is my father who has always been into it and who then introduced my uncle to it. So I always saw my father on a motorbike when I was growing up.”
The eighteen-year-old from the village of Digne-les-Bains in south-east France has dominated the Moto Junior 2 class of the 2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup and, with the title already secured, he heads to this weekend’s sixth and concluding round – the Ronde des Sables Hossegor Capbreton – focussed on maintaining his one-hundred per cent record and completing a perfect season.
“It’s been a great year and a real championship with some great races. Argentina was the best and, at the same time, the craziest race I've ever done. It was a really great experience and I'll be grateful all my life to my parents and the people who made it possible for me to take part and ride there – it was the first time I'd flown to a race and not driven in a camper van.
“Winning the Moto Junior 2 title is really gratifying in terms of the work I put in. It's good for morale and it's encouraging before the end of the French championship for me, as well as for the sponsors who help me in these races.”
While Maschio excels in sand, his skills translate well to different surfaces and he also competes in the French Motocross Championship and the EMX250 series along with other disciplines.
“I've also done Supercross and Enduro in my region. You could say that I do everything, but I mainly like riding motorbikes, whatever the discipline.”
With passionate parental support allowing him to concentrate on racing now he has finished his academic studies, Maschio has set himself a definite career goal, although he readily acknowledges that it will not be easily achievable.
“Like everyone else I think, the aim is to become a professional and make a living out of it, there's a long way to go and there's still a lot of work to do!”
The Ronde des Sables Hossegor Capbreton gets under way on Saturday (November 30) with the main Quad race at 12:15 (local time) followed by the main Moto race on Sunday (December 1) at 11:00 (local time).
Followers of the FIM Sand Races World Cup can stay completely up to date with all the latest news through FIM social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram and via the Sportity app using the password FIMSandRaces.
By using the tag #FIMSandRaces, fans will also be able to interact on social media with riders and like-minded enthusiasts.
To view the full 2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup calendar along with more information click here.