Before the last Grand Prix, cold and windy weather, but not really rainy, took our explorations of the surroundings of the Barcelona–Catalunya circuit away from tourist Catalonia, in favor of Martorelles, the site of the former Derbi factory.
Of course, we knew perfectly well that this den of Spanish small-displacement competition, shut down since 2013, had been sold in 2021 by the historic Rabasa family to the British real estate group SEGRO to build a 16,000 square meter logistics center there. …
Of course, we knew perfectly well that the dismantling of the factory had begun the same year with the removal of the legendary signs that dominated the city…
But when we went there in the gray surroundings, what was our surprise to find that nothing, absolutely nothing, of the initial project had been carried out. Instead of the modern logistics center announced, there is only bare land and the very modest annex buildings of the factory.
Another mystery of real estate development in Spain, which can be explained by the latest ongoing project of the last buyer of the land, the Valencian company López Real Inversiones 21: a McDonald's, a Consum supermarket, a Plenoil service station, another establishment fast food, a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and a Tiendanimal.…
Today, what remains of Derbi?
Of course, the famous fresco on the factory next door, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary 1922–1972 of the Spanish firm.
A rusty plaque was placed on the site of the old factory, without further information…
Looking carefully, we see that a door from the last period has been preserved by one of the craftsmen who occupy the only premises still standing on site, recalling the period Marc Marquez of the brand…
But above all, the municipality has recovered the famous webbed logo, and placed it at the edge of a roundabout in the industrial zone which now includes the site of the former “red balls” factory…
The impressive structure is accompanied by a commemorative plaque citing the brand's models, but especially the men who built the myth…
Some local initiatives are also active and attempt to preserve the history of the legendary Martorelles brand, such as the Derbi Museum in Santa Cristina d'Aro, of Jordi and his father Josep Pujolar, undoubtedly the place of a next visit…
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