With his eye on the finish line, Muhammad Usman could see that he still had a chance to finish third in the championship. Throttling his motorcycle through the Dubai Autodrome, he was going head to head against a much more experienced Irish competitor but, in the last lap, just three corners before the finishing line, his bike slipped and rammed into his opponent’s bike. Though his Irish counterpart remained safe, Usman broke his right arm and left wrist, besides sustaining other minor injuries.

Bruised and broken, Usman’s goal of attaining a position seemed impossible. However, he was not ready to give up so easily. He could still participate in the two races that were to take place a week later and had to finish in the top three in both of them to secure third position.

The weekend before the two upcoming contests, he was declared fit enough to race, though he still had two broken bones and was in a lot of pain. He had taken painkillers to get some relief and managed third position in both races, eventually, ending up with P3 in the championship.

“They were the toughest races I have ever taken part in,” he recalls, remembering the March 2020 races. “After the last race my right hand was swollen to a point that I struggled to get my racing gear off.”

Usman is the only Pakistani motorcycle racer with a license from the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme or International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), the global governing body of motorcycle racing, which was established in 1904. When he decided to race professionally, he asked around about the requirement to become an eligible racer and came to know about it.

“Attaining a license from FIM is no child’s play,” he shares, adding that they first take a written test, where they ask questions about the track, what the different flags indicate, etiquette, rules and regulations. The next step is an on-track assessment,” which according to him, is the toughest.

Muhammad Usman is the only Pakistani with a racing license from the International Motorcycling Federation. His love for professional motorcycle racing has kept him away from his own country because of a lack of any racing facility here. But he dreams of big things for Pakistan

“An FIM senior coach rides with you on the track and assesses how comfortable you are with the other motorcycles close to you at high speed, at hard braking zones and other such things,” he explains.

“During a race, you’d be touching elbows with other riders at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour, you’d lean into a corner and the front wheel of the other bike would be at your shoulder, at times touching, so you need to stay calm at those moments,” he laughs. Finally, there is a medical assessment to ensure that the rider is fit to race and he does not have any injury or underlying health condition that might put his or others’ safety at risk.

The youngest of two sisters and two brothers, all of who grew up in Saudi Arabia, Usman inherited the craze for speed, cars and motorcycles from his father and elder brother. He used to take pictures of fancy cars and motorcycles on the roads and was fond of collecting toy cars, in addition to riding dirt bikes since he was a child.

However, he experienced a life-changing moment when he was 17 when one of his friends bought a motorcycle and offered him a ride. It was the first time he rode an actual motorcycle. “I rode for less than 500 meters, just barely up and down the street, but in that very instant, I realised that that’s it: I want to learn more about this,” he says. “It felt different, it felt terrifying, yet exciting,” he recalls.

Later, he got a job as a data scientist in a firm and saved up to buy his own powerful motorcycle, a Honda CBR600RR. But when he was buying it, his parents were worried about his safety. He assured them that he would be careful and always ride with all the safety equipment on.

However, Usman’s lust for speed was growing with each passing day, which led him to race professionally. When he discussed the idea of becoming a professional racer with his parents, they were skeptical, and quite understandably so.

“They were very realistic and wanted me to understand also that it may not be a feasible career choice,” he says. “Thus, I was always encouraged to study other things as well, and I did. Becoming a racer doesn’t mean you don’t need to study, all your studies come in handy, especially the understanding of data.”

One thing that is a part and parcel of this sport is accidents. Usman does not even remember how many bumps he has taken so far in his career, during races and training sessions. “I have 22 broken bones from all the races and training accidents. It is an unfortunate part of the sport but it is like that with every sport, no? You break bones playing cricket too,” he reasons.

The crashes have now become normal for Usman’s parents as well, who have accepted it as an inevitable part of this sport. However, like any other parents, they still advise him to be careful. “My mother calls me before every race and tells me, ‘Beta, araam say chalana’ [Son, ride carefully],” he states laughing.

As with any other professional sport, this one also requires physical and mental fitness. Usman says people have a misconception that professional racers ride these machines 24/7 whereas, the reality is exactly the opposite. “We only get two days a month to test our racing bikes, so these tests are critically planned to make the most of the opportunity,” he shares.

“On most days, I am out cycling, and I cover around 150 to 220 kilometres in a single session as it helps build stamina and the core body, which are the two key elements of being a competitive rider,” he says.

Usman, who shifted from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates in 2015 to pursue his career as a professional racer, has participated in numerous races, of which he has won two championships and finished third in two. Before taking part in any competition, Usman consults his team to decide which series he should compete in.

Each contest has different motorcycle specifications, be it engine capacity or other features, and the riders have to modify them accordingly. Competitors also qualify on wildcard entries, where they partake in a one-off race instead of the whole series.

Usman dreams of representing Pakistan in the MotoGP World Championship one day, though he admits it is a distant dream. He wishes he had started racing a lot earlier, which would have increased his chances of wearing the green colour at the grandest of stages. “If not me, I’d love to start developing riders in Pakistan, so that they can reach that goal and represent Pakistan in the MotoGP,” he says.

But then the 27-year-old racer has another big wish. He wants to build a racing track in Pakistan. Usman does not live in Pakistan because there is no racetrack here. But he wants to give the youngsters of his country the facility that he could not have.

“I would like to make this sport affordable for all classes in Pakistan. If it does not happen, we might miss out on the next Valentino Rossi or Marc Marquez of the world,” he shares dreamily.

He advises budding racers, who tend to ride motorcycles rashly on streets and roads to always pay attention to safety and never ride a bike without protective gear. “You need to respect the sport for it to respect you back,” he smiles. “These machines are insanely powerful, and capable of more damage than you can comprehend.”

The writer tweets @Arslanshkh

Published in Dawn, EOS, January 31st, 2021