James Whitham

James Michael "Jamie" Whitham (born 6 September 1966), is an English former professional motorcycle road racer. He raced in most major British and international championships, winning the British championship twice. The readers of Motorcycle News voted him 'Man of the Year' in both 1991 and 1996.

After retiring from racing, Whitham works as a television motorcycle race commentator as well as runs road-race tuition track days. Witham also operates a small private airstrip near Huddersfield, Crosland Moor Airfield.

Early years Born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England, Whitam's first motorcycle as a child was a Raleigh Wisp, a small-wheeled moped, and his favourite early road-going machine was a Yamaha FS1-E, but he admitted to Motorcycle News in 1994 that he was more embarrassed at taking his learner-test with a Suzuki X-5 200 cc sidecar outfit.

Whitham won the 1986 British 80 cc Championship, the 1988 1300 cc Production British Championship, the 1988 Mallory Park Race of the Year, the 1991 MCN TT Superbike Challenge, with Suzuki; and for Yamaha in 1993 in both the British Superbike Championship Supercup and the ACU TT Superbike British Championship. He confirmed to Motor Cycle News in 1994 prior to his World Superbike career that his best biking moment was winning the 750 cc double British championship for Yamaha, and that doing 185 mph at Daytona Speedbowl banking was exhilarating. taking a race win at Sentul and finishing seventh overall. He returned to the British series in 1995, leading the standings and taking a podium as a World Superbike Championship wild-card at Brands Hatch, but was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma mid-season. He recovered in time to be British Superbike Championship runner-up in 1996 on a Yamaha, despite not scoring at the first round - he won ten races, twice the number of champion Niall Mackenzie.

Whitham raced for the Harris Suzuki team in the World Superbike Championship in 1997 and 1998, finishing eighth in the championship both seasons with a total of three podiums, but for 1999 the factory contract changed hands, and the new owners hired Pierfrancesco Chili and Katsuaki Fujiwara. Worse was to follow when he was hired by Kenny Roberts' uncompetitive Modenas 500cc World Championship team: he crashed heavily at Brno, breaking his pelvis.

Following his win at Donington during 1999 in a one-off appearance, Whitham competed in the Supersport World Championship from 2000 to 2002. He won his very first race in 2000 before a string of crashes (including while leading at Misano) knocked his confidence and relegated him to eighth overall in 2000. He was fourth overall in 2001, forced to support team-mate Paolo Casoli's bid for the championship. In 2002, he won in the wet at Silverstone, before glaucoma, an eye-condition most likely a consequence of past chemotherapy, caused him to retire at the end of the year. In total, he took four World Supersport victories and 12 podiums. He held the Supersport lap record at Donington Park until Kenan Sofuoglu beat it in 2007.

Whitham confirmed at his own website in May 2017 that his previous cancer problems had recurred, requiring urgent and ongoing chemotherapy and other treatments. This was further updated in December. Whitham was unable to present television coverage of the Isle of Man TT races in May/June 2018 due to intensive treatments as an in-patient at Jimmy's hospital, in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Post racing Whitham now operates Crosland Moor airfield, and also runs race-tuition track days, previously with business partner Paul Shoesmith under the defunct company Speed Freak.

Whitham established a second career as a popular TV analyst for Eurosport, Channel 4 and ITV. Whitham provides commentary and analysis for the Isle of Man TT coverage by ITV4 alongside former racer Steve Parrish, which is shown on Velocity Channel in the United States.

Whitham also works as a road tester for the British motorcycle magazine Visordown, and has also worked with the young riders of the Virgin Media Cup. In 2008, he launched his autobiography, 'What A Good Do!'. From January 2013, he hosted and presented The Superbike Show on Loaded TV.

Whitham was awarded an honorary Doctorate qualification by Huddersfield University in July 2009.

Career record

British Superbike Championship (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Pts Ref R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 1996 Yamaha DONRet DONRet THR2 THR2 OUL1 OUL2 SNE1 SNE1 BHGP1 BHGP1 KNO2 KNO2 CAD1 CAD1 MAL1 MAL1 BHGP4 BHGP5 DON3 DON1 2nd 390

Superbike World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R21993YamahaIRL RetIRL RetGERGERESP 11ESP 11SMRSMRAUTAUTCZECZESWE 5SWE RetMALMALJAPJAPNED 5NED 5ITA RetITA RetGBR RetGBR