World Rally Championship
Over the years James has competed in 3 World Rally Championship events.
Wales Rally GB 2006;
In 2006 James was competing in the British Rally Championship in a Suzuki GB backed Suzuki Ignis Super 1600.
For Rally GB the 'Motor Sports Association' gave James an entry into the Junior World Rally Championship. This meant that James would be scoring World Championship points.
Leg 1 of the rally did not go to plan, with 2 punctures that James drove to the end of the stage and then a third puncture that James and Rob had to stop and change. Leg 2 on the other hand could not have gone any better. The forest roads over the army ranges on Epynt would be a happy hunting ground for James. With a string of very competitive times finishing with a time only 14 seconds (in 22 kilometres) slower than Junior World Champion P G Andersson, James moved right up the leader board. After 3 stages on the final leg James was lying in 3rd overall in the Junior World Championship but a last stage puncture would see him drop to 6th. Still a great result for James first World Championship Rally.
ADAC Rally Germany;
When the Suzuki World Rally Team's number 1 driver P-G Andersson lost his driving license James was asked to drive his car in Germany. This was an amazing opportunity that James took with both hands. With alot of pressure on James from the Suzuki bosses leg 1 was very cautious for the British crew lying 6th overall at the end of the day.
James pushed harder during leg 2 and through the famous stages of the Baumholder military ranges James set a 4th fastest time in Erzwieler. In the next stage at the 21 kilometre split James was only 4 seconds of the leader in the Junior World Championship, until disaster struck when the front wheel studs sheared and James was forced to retire.
Wales Rally GB 2007;
In the 2007 Wales Rally GB James was driving a Suzuki GB backed Suzuki Swift GpN. James needed to win all 3 legs of the Rally to take his 3rd British Rally Championship title in as many years. In his under powered car James was up against a tough challenge but when heavy fog descended on the final stages of leg 1 James saw his chance to push for the lead of the rally. The Suzuki was flying through the penultimate stage until they came across a car that had been involved in an accident, stopping to try and assist them the crew lost around 40 seconds but amazingly still won the stage by 16 seconds. This meant James had to win the final stage by 12 seconds to stay on course for the British title, but with the fog clearing they could only win the stage by 8 seconds. James still won the class on the rally but unfortunately missed out on the title by 1 point.
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