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. PD Sports Management Retrieved 2014-06-14

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.Motorcycle News 23 February 1994 p.39 My Bikes, Jamie Whitham Accessed and added 2014-10-23

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.

Whitham 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 health problems In 1994, Whitham raced full-time in the Superbike World Championship for Ducati with team-mate Carl Fogarty,Motor Cycle News 22 December 1993 p.19 Whitham signs up for factory Ducati assault Accessed and added 2014-10-26 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.James diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma jameswhitham.com, 25 May 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2018 This was further updated in December.James Cancer Update and other news jameswhitham.com, 17 December 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2018 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.TT Blog 2018 jameswhitham.com, 3 June 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018

Post racing Whitham now operates Crosland Moor airfield,Director Check, James Michael Whitham Huddersfield Aviation Ltd Retrieved 2014-06-14Crosland Moor Airfield Gallery. "James (Fireball) Whitham is one of the airfield owners" Retrieved 2014-06-14 and also runs race-tuition track days,JW Track training Retrieved 2014-06-12 previously with business partner Paul Shoesmith under the defunct company Speed Freak.Speed Freak (dissolved company) directors Paul Shoesmith, James Whitham Retrieved 2014-06-14

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.Honorary Doctorate, Huddersfield Examiner Retrieved 2014-06-12

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 316th58 1994 Ducati SMR11 SMRRet ESP3 ESP3 AUT7 AUTRet INA1 INA4 JPNRet JPN10 NED5 NED5 ITA8 ITA4 GBRRet GBRRet AUSRet AUSRet7th129 1995 Ducati GBR3 GBR822nd24 1996 Yamaha GERRet GER10 ITA7 ITA6 GBRRet GBRRet NED6 NED14 17th 37 1997 Suzuki AUSRet AUS13 SMRRet SMRRet GBR8 GBR10 GER14 GER3 ITA6 ITA3 USA8 USARet GBR7 GBR9 AUT10 AUT6 NED7 NED11 ESPRet ESP10 INA9 INA68th140 1998 Suzuki AUSRet AUS12 GBR8 GBR8 ITA8 ITA5 ESP11 ESP10 GER9 GER10 SMR6 SMRRet RSA4 RSARet USA6 USA5 GBR5 GBR3 AUT5 AUT6 NEDRet NED5 JPN9 JPN118th173

References

Bibliography