James Walker is a 26 year-old Jersey-born racing driver,
currently competing in Superleague Formula in the Liverpool
Football Club car. After challenging for the World Series by
Renault Championship in 2009, James has moved over to the 750bhp
Superleague Formula cars as he continues his quest to become
Jersey's first Formula One driver.
James' racing career began in 2002 and just a year later he won
the Scholarship Class of the British Formula Ford Championship. He
went on to win his first F3 race at the Nürburgring in September
2005 and took his first World Series victory at Donington in
2007.
James is one of the UK's most promising racing drivers and one
of its most naturally talented. When he first met his manager, Tim
Sugden, not only had he never raced - unlike almost every other
professional racing driver, he hadn't served the traditional
apprenticeship in karting, and he couldn't even drive a road car.
Now, just a few years later, he's a winner.
In 2003, only his second season of racing, he won more than half
of the year's races in the UK Formula Ford Championship Scholarship
class to dominate the series and become champion. He also showed
the pace and maturity to race wheel-to-wheel with the senior class
runners in a year-old car, appearing on the overall podium on three
occasions and setting an outright lap record at Mondello Park.
As a result of his 2003 achievements James was selected by the
British Racing Drivers' Club for its prestigious Rising Stars
programme, which recognises outstanding young talent, and was
nominated for the 2003 National Racing Driver of the Year title at
the Autosport Awards.
After securing some top results in the British F3 International
Series, James moved up to the World Series by Renault for 2007 and
took his first win in front of a home crowd at Donington Park. He
continued in the series in 2008 and even took time out to race in a
few Superleague Formula races, winning at Jerez for the Borussia
Dortmund team; an impressive win when you consider that was James'
first trip to Jerez. 2009 produced James' most competitive season
yet when his performance in the World Series by Renault saw him
fighting for the title and taking some top results.
James is based in Oxford during the season, but returns to
Jersey when racing commitments allow. As a professional racing
driver he keeps extremely fit, and when he's not racing or in the
gym he enjoys watersports and travel.
Racing Biography
Born:
25 August 1983 - Jersey (Channel Islands)
Nationality:
British
Marital status:
Single
Lives:
Jersey and Oxford
Height:
1.82m (5ft 11½ins)
First ever race:
Formula Ford, Snetterton 2001
First ever win:
Formula Ford, Mondello Park 2003
Best racing memory:
Winning an F3 race at the Nürburgring in 2005 as that was my first
international win. Winning the World Series race at Donington in
2007 was special and so too was winning the British Formula Ford
Scholarship Championship in 2003.
Worst racing memory:
Having a big crash at Oulton Park! (Formula 3 2006)
Favourite tracks:
Silverstone, Spa and Zandvoort.
Racing superstitions:
Always get into the car from the left-hand side
First drove a car:
A Land Rover around a field at home, aged 11
Sporting heroes:
Ayrton Senna
Favourite sports:
Tennis, swimming, cycling & fitness training.
Favourite music:
Dance music, especially Faithless.
Career History
2009 Season
World Series by Renault with P1 Motorsport.
Winner at Spa and podium finishes at Monaco and Silverstone.
2008 Season
World Series by Renault with Fortec Motorsport
Best result: 2nd at Barcelona
Superleague Formula
Best result: 1st place at Jerez
Becomes Full Member of the British Racing Driver's Club
(BRDC)
2007 Season
World Series by Renault with Fortec Motorsport
Pole position and victory at UK round at Donington Park
2006 Season
British F3 International Series with Hitech Racing (Championship
Class)
14 top ten finishes and three podiums
F3 Euroseries with Hitech Racing
Two top 10 finishes at Brands Hatch
2005 Season
British F3 International Series with Fortec (Championship
Class)
Claimed first F3 victory at the Nürburgring in September
Finished the season 11th in the Championship with 13 top ten
finishes
2004 Season
British F3 International Series with Hitech Racing (Championship
Class)
Finished the season 18th in the Championship with 5 top ten
finishes
Awarded BRDC Rising Star status
2003 Season
British Formula Ford (Scholarship Class) CHAMPION
James won over half the season's races on his way to becoming
Champion
Nominated for National Racing Driver of the Year in Autosport
Awards
2002/2001 Season
UK Junior Formula Ford Championship