In memoriam Attila Szabo (March 19, 1966 - April 14, 2023)
With broken hearts, we bring this sad news to you: ATTILA SZABO in the 57th year of his life, as a multiple Canadian and Hungarian champion motorcycle racer pulled the gas, but for the first time he was not the first to turn into the start-finish straight ahead of everyone, overcoming the impossible...because the race was unexpectedly stopped, the fight was over and he never saw the chequered flag at the most difficult competition of his life.
Attila Szabo, one of the biggest experts in motorcycling, a person with endless love and a smile, left us and continues his journey on the racing tracks in the sky among the stars.
His obsession was impressive, his modesty was impressive, his incredible intellect and devotion commanded respect, and his judgment, desire and striving for precision and even his sense of humour could not only be admired, but also honestly envied! Life is cruel because it unfairly gave him little time here on this Earth...and for us to have enjoyed his presence, which always inspired cheerful and positive energy, or to listen to his teachings. Breaking out of his father's shadow was hellishly difficult, his father László Szabó II set the bar very high (a 22-time Hungarian champion, runner-ups at some MotoGp races and a well-known riders among the Agostini-era ). But the genes did not lie. Attila proved in Hungary as well as abroad that he was a top-level motorcyclist.
Few people knew that Attila was an excellent judo fighter (he won a gold medal in his teenage years) and when motorcycling became his ultimate passion, he made great benefit of his judo experiences.
Starting from scratch in Woodstock (Ontario, Canada), daytime working as a car mechanic in a machine factory, first he graduated first in his class at the FAST (Shannonville, Ontario) racing training school where Michel Mercier was one of the instructors. Then without any sponsorship, in 1990 Attila won the Castrol-Motoplan national championship in the 750 superbike category and overall becoming the Canadian Amateur champion in 750 Production Class with his hand-made own Suzuki GSX-R. He competed in many races in US (such as at Daytona on the Bike-week) and in Canada, a couple of sponsors (Mike's Motorcycles and Hyd-Mech) came along with the good results and finished his Canadian racing career as a 3-time national champion. He moved back to Hungary and competed in many European championship races and in 1992 he participated at MotoGP in 125 ccm in Budapest.
It could have been a race track or training course, or even film shooting, Attila created a standout everywhere and left a mark, not only on the asphalt, but above all in the souls of the people. Wherever in this world, whoever knew him, remembers him with a good heart, and this told everything about the kind of person he really was. Attila was one of the best tutors, had many students, nearly 8000 motorcyclist to whom he taught how to ride safely and had more than 150 amateur riders for whom he gave instruction, advices and entertainment for 7 years. Besides racing and teaching at the training center, the family meant everything to him and Attila left his wife, Agi (Agnes), his two wonderful children Lilien and Bence, his relatives and friends as well as his former sports partners in an unexpected, abrupt departure from Earth. The race with 16 "laps" (years) was the best time of his life that he shared with his love, Agi. As a loving father, as the sole breadwinner, Attila took care of his beloved family until his last minute, who were now left without hugs, love and support. He fought his illness in secret and at the end of the fight followed his father, with whom he can ride again on the heavenly roads and tracks. If nothing else, this should at least give us some solace.