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James Toseland Biography

for the Biking > James Toseland > Biography

Bennetts-backed twice World Superbike Champion (2004 & 2007) James Toseland has rocketed into a league of biking legends, following in the footsteps of Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss and Neil Hodgson.

Despite his relative youth, the Sheffield-born rider has more racing experience under his leathers than some of the series' other veterans. Early competition in trials and motocross awarded him an impressive haul of trophies and ultimately laid the foundations for a promising career in road racing.

James quickly worked his way up through the ranks of 125cc racing into British Supersport and shone in the European Championship. In 1998, at the tender age of 17, he was given his big break with Castrol Honda aboard a CBR600RR in the World Supersport series.

Never one to turn down a challenge, over the next two seasons, James finished 18th and 11th overall before returning to Britain to ride in the 2000 British Superbike Championship.

Despite missing almost half the season through injury, the Yorkshireman finished 12th and was quickly snapped-up by GSE Racing for its World Superbike campaign. An impressive 13th place in the 2001 series, including sixth at Brands Hatch, was enough to confirm the rider as a clear World Superbike contender.

Since then, James has emerged as a world-class rider. In 2002 – only his second year in the World Superbike series – he made his name as a regular top-six finisher and scored his first-ever podium finish at Assen. In 2003, he ended fellow Brit Hodgson's winning streak with an impressive win at Oschersleben and earned his first pole position in the final round at Magny Cours.

An extraordinary 2004 season with Ducati followed, with James making the history books as the youngest-ever World Superbike Champion. Despite a relatively tough 2005 season finishing fourth overall with Ducati, James bounced back in 2006 to take second position overall with Winston Ten Kate Honda.

He secured his seventh consecutive year in the series in 2007and went on to win his second World Superbike Championship title for HANNspree Ten Kate Honda.

As if this wasn't enough kudos in one year, James finished 4th in the public vote for BBC Sports Personality of the Year, behind boxing champs Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton and F1 newcomer Lewis Hamilton.  During the show – which captured an audience of more than eight million BBC TV viewers – he showed off yet another one of his talents as a concert pianist, by taking to the stage and playing a catchy blues number he had composed himself.  JT relishes the relaxation of playing keyboard and belting out classics from the likes of Guns 'n' Roses and The Police with his mates in their band CRASH.

2008 heralds a new start for JT as he enters the MotoGP series with Tech 3 Yamaha and team-mate Colin 'Texas Tornado' Edwards. He will compete against champions Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner and is set to become the most high-profile British motorcycle racer since Barry Sheene. The move to a more demanding series with a smaller 800cc bike has prompted James to lose weight using a new fitness regime. JT is using a Pinarello Prince cycle donated to him by Bennetts to replace some of his gym workouts and enable him to lose weight as well as maintain fitness levels. The cycle was a gift from Bennetts, as a personal sponsor, to congratulate him for a 2007 and encourage him in what will be an important year for him in 2008.

Among his musical admirers are jazzman Jools Holland – who once invited him on stage to perform at a concert in front of a 25,000-strong crowd – and rock giants Status Quo, who promised to play a backing track if he released an album of covers and his own music.

Sony offered a deal that any other budding pop star would snap-up – a schedule to turn him into a bill-topping artist.   However, he decided to decline the offer saying “Racing is my buzz, my first passion. It's in my blood. I love it. I enjoy competing and winning and taking titles. Nothing, not even pop fame, could match the kick I get out of being first across the line after a real hard race.  When I'm standing on the podium as a champion again, this time in MotoGP, I'll know I made the right decision".

Life has not always been easy for the double champion but he has maintained a determination to become one of Britain's greatest.  He says of his forthcoming challenge, "I can hardly believe I'll be taking on the best and quickest riders, it really is my dream come true. When I think of great British world champions like Mike Hailwood and Barry Sheene – and I have the chance to achieve what they did in the top flight, it's amazing."