What’s changed for wife Michaela?

IT’S not just Carl Fogarty who’s life has been changed by his retirement – his wife Michaela has also had to make some serious adjustments.

She said: ” Sundays will never be the same again – Sunday mornings were a unique feeling. Most of the time I just wanted to be sick. All the time through Carl’s career he’d tell me I didn’t understand how he felt and, to be honest, I’m not sure I ever did.

” He’s so different now the racing has gone. For instance, I can be reading a book and he’ll ask me what it’s about. He’d never have done that when he was racing. He wasn’t interested. It was never that he didn’t care, he just had his focus somewhere else. ”

So what were the lowest moments during the racing?

Michaela said: ” It was the Isle of Man TT – I hated it. I used to sit there in the pits and just watch the Scouts across the road moving the markers on the big lap board. If there was the slightest hesitation in them moving a marker, I was worried. ”

But all of those concerns are behind her now. Sundays at a track are more of a social occasion for the Fogarty family – it’s even possible to see Foggy with a beer in his hand. Michaela added: ” I’m glad to see the back of certain parts of his racing character – he could be horrible for a month if he had a bad weekend.

” The aggro, the shouting and the emotion on a race weekend are not something I’ll miss, either.

” The racing life is a unique life and I will miss it – the last 13 years with Carl have been fantastic. We’ve been to so many places and made so many friends. If I died tomorrow I’d be happy with what I have done in my life.

” I waited for the day Carl would retire for three years, and though there are times that I’d like it all back, I’d far rather have the Carl I have now than before. ”