James Charman: “It’s not surprising that I ended up writing about touring cars”

Looking back it’s not surprising that I ended up writing about touring cars, in some ways you could say that I was always heading in this direction.

With a touring car journalist for a father – who founded his own magazine in the heart of the Super Touring era – writing has always been something I’ve enjoyed. Once leaving college I had no idea where I wanted to go so I decided to combine my love for motorsport and writing.

After covering historic touring cars for another website, I was invited to join the TouringCarTimes team for the 2014 season, expanding throughout the year to join Ian Gallagher as part of the TouringCarTimes contingent in the BTCC media centre.

When asked to sum up why I love touring car racing, it’s very hard to put in to words. As I previously stated, my father was heavily involved with the BTCC during the “glory years” of the Super Touring era, so touring cars have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

One thing that sticks in the memory throughout my two decades of following tin-top racing, at least in the BTCC, is just how easily accessible the sport is for the fans. I distinctly remember going to the traditional season opening Autosport International Show in Birmingham one year with my dad and seeing this incredibly tall man walking towards us. 30 seconds later the first page of that year’s autograph book was filled with the phrase “To James – Go for it!!! – Matt Neal”.

Later that same day my dad said I had to go and stand by the giant slot-car track that had been built near the BTCC stand. The next thing I knew I was watching Anthony Reid, Alain Menu and others, including the late David Leslie, do battle in miniature versions of their own cars.

A few years later I went back to the Autosport show, once again with my dad, and found a race simulator at the Chevrolet stand. Being around the time that I was starting to get obsessed with video games, I was desperate to get my hands on any race simulator possible (I was three seconds faster than Tiff Needell on a Formula One simulator…).

Upon approaching the simulator, which had been built in to a Chevrolet Lacetti shell, I noticed someone was already pushing a virtual Lacetti around Magny-Cours and began to walk on. I was then told to hang on as the man in the hot seat was none other than two-time BTCC champion Alain Menu.

While my dad and Alain had a catch-up, I took to the virtual Magny-Cours tarmac and hunted down Alain’s time. Unsurprisingly I was miles off the pace, but just as I began my final – and fastest – flying lap I heard “Don’t worry, I won’t disturb, your dad just wants a quick picture,” from Alain. Then, seeing I was within a second of his time, decided to cover my eyes going in to the final chicane. I’ve never forgiven him…

Seeing the drivers this close, and doing something that I would do when I got home, be it slot cars or video games, was amazing for me, as these were drivers who I regarded as highly as Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher.

It’s still evident in the paddock today. Walking around you see kids walking around with giant smiles on their faces as they get an autograph or a selfie from their favourite drivers, something they would be waiting hours in line for, if at all, from top Formula One drivers…