James Toseland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

James Toseland
Nationality	British
Date of birth	October 5, 1980 (1980-10-05) (age 27)
Place of birth	Doncaster [1], South Yorkshire
Website	jamestoseland.com
MotoGP Record
Current team	Yamaha Tech 3
Bike number	52
World Championships	0
Race starts	3
Race Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
2008 Championship position	8th (43 pts) - In Progess

James Toseland (born 5 October 1980 in Doncaster ^[1], South Yorkshire), is an English motorcycle racer. Toseland is the reigning 2007 World Superbike Champion on a Ten Kate Honda,^[2] who also won the 2004 Superbike World Championship on a Ducati. As well as being a motorcyclist, Toseland is also an accomplished pianist and singer, who performs regularly with his band "Crash" when not at home in the Isle of Man^[1], Toseland performed alongside Ray Stubbs for BBC's Sport Relief

[edit] Biography

Born in Doncaster ^[1], his parents separated and James was raised by his mother in Kiveton Park in Rotherham .^[3] After his mother started a relationship with Ken Wright, James accepted him as his default father figure, and began taking interest in Ken's hobbies. James started taking piano lessons aged eight, taught by a professional pianist; while he also started riding motocross bikes on the coal slag heaps close to his home.^[3]

While his mother struggled with income, Ken and James would attend Junior trials and motocross events across the UK. After his mother's relationship with Ken started breaking down in his early teens, James chose to support his depressed mother and ended his relationship with Ken after he broke up with his mother - Ken later committed suicide.^[3] Toseland kept up his piano lessons achieving Grade 6 - not enough for him to gain a place at the London College of Music.^[3]

[edit] Motorcycle racing career

Transferring his motorcycle career from off-road to road racing after Ken's death, Toseland quickly worked his way up through the ranks from 125cc racing in the UK Superteen series and sprang to prominence in the late nineties when he dominated the Honda CB500 cup series aged 17. He was picked up to ride a Supersport Honda and won races at national level. As a result he was signed to the factory Honda World Supersport squad where he rode for two years with mixed results and a number of injuries. He joined the British Superbike Championship series in 2000, riding for Paul Bird's Vimto-sponsored team and getting good results on a Honda VTR.

[edit] Superbike World Championship

In 2001 aged 20, Toseland joined the GSE team to partner Neil Hodgson in World Superbikes. Having never taken a top 5 finish in either the British Superbike Championship or the Supersport World Championship, he was not initially as competitive as Hodgson. But by late 2002 he was challenging for top 5 results and took 7th place overall that year. In 2003 the team was more competitive than ever, allowing James to take his first win at Oschersleben and 3rd in the championship.

In 2004 Toseland joined the factory Ducati team as second rider to the experienced Regis Laconi, and pipped Laconi and Chris Vermeulen to the title at the final meeting of the season. 2005 proved to be more of a struggle for Toseland, with a lack of team support as well as the returning Suzuki and Yamaha teams,^[3] and the improving Honda camp of five riders including Chris Vermeulen and Pierfrancesco Chili. This combination of factors ended the domination of Ducati, and Troy Corser took the championship on a Suzuki, with Toseland finishing 5th.

For 2006 Toseland switched to the Winston Ten Kate Racing Honda racing team, replacing the MotoGP-bound Chris Vermeulen, where he rode alongside Australian Karl Muggeridge. He won the season-opener in Qatar, and finished 2nd in the championship behind Troy Bayliss. He was contacted to replaced injured Toni Elías for the Fortuna Honda team for a one-off appearance in MotoGP, but this didn't happen for sponsor-related reasons.

Toseland was linked to the D'antin Ducati satellite team in MotoGP in 2006, and received an offer to ride for them in 2007. D'antin have not performed well in recent years however, and Toseland turned the offer down, not willing to make up the grid on a bike that wasn't competitive.

[edit] 2007 season

James Toseland at WK SBK Assen 2007

Toseland remained in WSBK for 2007 with Ten Kate Racing Honda, despite a firm offer from the Pramac d'Antin team to race in MotoGP. Toseland posted a first/second combination at the first meeting in Qatar ^[4], and at Philip Island.^[5] He won one race in each of the first five meetings of the year. At Assen he almost took a pair of wins but he was passed by Bayliss, losing by 0.009 seconds. Toseland won his first ever World Superbike double at Brands Hatch on August 5th giving him a 66 point lead in the championship. In the final race at Magny-Cours, he claimed the 2007 World Superbike title with a pole position, seventh position in Race 1, and a sixth place in Race 2, to leave him 2 points ahead of Japan's Noriyuki Haga.^[2]

[edit] Move to MotoGP in 2008

James Toseland riding the Yamaha Tech 3 M1

Toseland was again linked with the Pramac d'Antin MotoGP team, although rumours had also abounded of a ride with a Honda outfit, and even of Ten Kate Racing making the step up to the premier class and taking Toseland with them. But eventually Toseland confirmed a move to MotoGP for 2008 on 1 August 2007 when he announced that he had signed a one-year contract with factory supported Yamaha team Tech 3.^[6]

For 2008 Tech 3 is switching away from under-performing Dunlop tyres. Confirmation of a move to Michelin tyres was announced early November 2007. Toseland's teamate for 2008 will be Colin Edwards.

Toseland has signed a deal with British leather company BKS to supply him with suits whilst competing in the 2008 MotoGP world championship. ^[7]

Toseland qualified in second place and finished sixth in the opening race in Qatar on the 9th March 2008.^[8]

He then qualified in 8th place and finished sixth in Jerez on the 30th March despite suffering from bronchitis.

Toseland has shrugged off criticism from fellow MotoGP riders about his aggressive riding style. Chris Vermeulen and world champion Casey Stoner have both been vocal in their displeasure of Toseland's aggressive overtaking moves. James has downplayed the talk and stated that his moves are "hard but fair", and that it is his job to overtake his rivals when he has the chance to do so.^[9]

[edit] Sports Personality of the Year 2007

Toseland was nominated for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year 2007 award and came fourth, 710 votes behind Ricky Hatton. He demonstrated his piano-playing abilities in the ceremony, performing a specially written blues/jazz piece. Toseland was however voted as the 2007 BBC Yorkshire Sports Personality of the Year.

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] MotoGP results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official James Toseland website
• James Toseland full profile at Motorcycle Racing Online
• James Toseland video interview

v • d • e Yamaha Tech 3 Colin Edwards(5) | James Toseland (52) Grand Prix motorcycle : Yamaha YZR-M1