James Whitham
Encyclopedia
Michael James 'Jamie' Whitham (born September 6, 1966 in Huddersfield
, Yorkshire
, England
), is a 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.
; and for Yamaha
in 1993 both the British Superbike Championship Supercup and the ACU TT Superbike British Championship. He competed in the 1992 French Grand Prix at Magny Cours. He also competed on the Isle of Man - running in the Manx Grand Prix in 1985, and the TT from 1986 to 1989, with three top six results; and he won British championship races at Superstock, Seniorstock, Supersport 600 and TT Formula One levels.
he raced full-time in the Superbike World Championship
for Ducati, taking a race win at Sentul
and finishing 7th 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 contracted Hodgkin's Disease 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.
He raced for the Harris Suzuki team in the World Superbike Championship in 1997
and 1998
, finishing 8th in the championship both seasons with a total of 3 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, he 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 8th overall in 2000. He was 4th 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
, most likely a consequence of past chemotherapy
, caused him to retire at the end of the year. In total he took 4 World Supersport victories and 12 podiums. He held the Supersport lap record at Donington Park
until Kenan Sofuoglu
beat it in 2007.
, and has established a second career as a popular TV analyst for Eurosport
, Channel 4
and ITV
. He 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. 2008 he launched his autobiography, 'What A Good Do!'.
Given an honorary qualification of Doctor by Huddersfield University during July 2009
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), is a former professional motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
. 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.
Early years
He won the 1986 British 80cc Championship, the 1988 1300cc Production British Championship, the 1991 MCN TT Superbike Challenge, with SuzukiSuzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
; and for Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Company
, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...
in 1993 both the British Superbike Championship Supercup and the ACU TT Superbike British Championship. He competed in the 1992 French Grand Prix at Magny Cours. He also competed on the Isle of Man - running in the Manx Grand Prix in 1985, and the TT from 1986 to 1989, with three top six results; and he won British championship races at Superstock, Seniorstock, Supersport 600 and TT Formula One levels.
International racing and Personal Problems
In 19941994 Superbike World Championship season
The 1994 Superbike World Championship season was the 7th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on May 2 at Donington, and finished on October 30 at Phillip Island after 11 rounds....
he raced full-time in the Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
for Ducati, taking a race win at Sentul
Sentul International Circuit
Sentul International Circuit is a permanent motor racing circuit located in Babakan Madang, Bogor. Away from the Toll Gate of Jakarta towards Bogor, Indonesia. Its pit facilities got easy access from the Jagorawi Toll Road. The course is actually a truncated version of the original design...
and finishing 7th 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
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
, but contracted Hodgkin's Disease 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.
He raced for the Harris Suzuki team in the World Superbike Championship in 1997
1997 Superbike World Championship season
The 1997 Superbike World Championship season was the 10th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 23 at Phillip Island, and finished on October 12 at Sentul after 12 rounds....
and 1998
1998 Superbike World Championship season
The 1998 Superbike World Championship season was the 11th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 22 at Phillip Island, and finished on October 4 at Sugo after 12 rounds....
, finishing 8th in the championship both seasons with a total of 3 podiums, but for 1999
1999 Superbike World Championship season
The 1999 Superbike World Championship season was the 12th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 28 at Kyalami, and finished on October 10 at Sugo after 13 rounds....
the factory contract changed hands, and the new owners hired Pierfrancesco Chili
Pierfrancesco Chili
Pierfrancesco 'Frankie' Chili, is a motorcycle racer who has raced in the Superbike World Championship and the 250cc and 500cc classes in Grand Prix. In World Superbike he had a record number of starts, as well as 10 poles and 17 wins. He retired at the end of the season...
and Katsuaki Fujiwara. Worse was to follow when he was hired by Kenny Roberts
Kenny Roberts
Kenneth Leroy Roberts is a former motorcycle racer and racing team owner. In 1978, he became the first American to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship. He was also a two-time winner of the A.M.A. Grand National Championship...
' uncompetitive Modenas
Modenas
Syarikat Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn. Bhd , or known as Modenas for short is a Malaysian national motorcycle company producing various small motorcycle models below 200 cc targeted for local market and export...
500cc World Championship
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
team: he crashed heavily at Brno
Masaryk Circuit
The Masaryk circuit or Masarykring, now referred to as the Brno Circuit, refers two Czech racing circuits located close to the city of Brno.The original circuit was made up of public roads, and at its longest measured nearly...
, breaking his pelvis.
Following his win at Donington during 1999 in a one-off appearance, he 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
Misano World Circuit
The Misano World Circuit and before 2006 called Circuito Internazionale Santamonica, is an Italian racetrack located next to the town of Misano Adriatico in the frazione of Santamonica. Originally designed in 1969 as a length of , it hosted its first event in 1972...
)knocked his confidence and relegated him to 8th overall in 2000. He was 4th overall in 2001, forced to support team-mate Paolo Casoli
Paolo Casoli
Paolo Casoli was an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best year in Grands Prix was in 1987, when he won the 125cc Portuguese Grand Prix and finished in third place in the 125cc world championship...
's bid for the championship. In 2002 he won in the wet at Silverstone, before Glaucoma
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently damaging vision in the affected eye and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye...
, most likely a consequence of past chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
, caused him to retire at the end of the year. In total he took 4 World Supersport victories and 12 podiums. He held the Supersport lap record at Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
until Kenan Sofuoglu
Kenan Sofuoglu
Kenan Sofuoğlu is a Turkish professional motorcycle racer. He currently competes in Moto2 for the Technomag-CIP team, having made his debut at the end of and will remain with the team for the season...
beat it in 2007.
Post Racing
He now runs Crosland Moor airfieldCrosland Moor Airfield
Crosland Moor Airfield is a small privately owned airfield located south-west of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in England. The airfield was established by Sir David Brown who owned a local business and flew a de Havilland Dove, registration G-ARDH...
, and has established a second career as a popular TV analyst for Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
and ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. He 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. 2008 he launched his autobiography, 'What A Good Do!'.
Given an honorary qualification of Doctor by Huddersfield University during July 2009