- Press releases & race reports
- Young Guns Press Release
- James Nutbrown Autosport Young Guns 2010
James's Background in racing
James Nutbrown motoring career started by a simple mistake, made by his mother when he was 14 yrs old, who booked him on a dual control driving lesson at Silverstone, which turned out to be a one day rally course for juniors. James achieved fastest time of the day in torrential rain, out of about 30 kids. When asked by the instructors how long he had been driving for, the reply was “today”.
News of this achievement somehow came to the attention of Palmer motor sports and so not long after his 1st drive, he was offered testing at Bedford in a T Car. James turned up at Bedford on the East circuit having only driven a car once since Silverstone. The instructor had driven the circuit that morning in the T-car in 50.3 seconds. After a 2 hour test, James’s final lap, solo, was 55 seconds; he was offered a seat for that season. When James arrived at Brands Hatch for the 1st race of the season just shy of his 15th birthday, he had only driven anything 7 times, he was lapped by nearly all the grid. At the end of the season he achieved a very respectable 6th position out of 13 cars that started the season and was 2/10ths of a second of the winner, William Buller who won the champion ship.
To help James learn race craft he joined Clay Pigeon Kart Club in Dorchester, racing Junior Rotax. His 1st four races as a novice, he won the best novice trophy with around 26 on the grid he always finished in the top 10, his highest position was a 5th. However on his 5th and final race as a novice at the Nigel Mansell track at Dunkeswell on the 3rd heat he crashed out on the first bend and the Kart landed on top of him, he was airlifted to hospital with internal injuries and spent a week in hospital. His MSA license was rescinded on medical grounds for 6 months. On his 1st day back testing at Clay Pigeon he achieved a new personal best.
The day after his license was reissued and whilst still on novice plates for Karting, he tested for the Formula BMW Scholarship in Valencia Spain, though he qualified for the scholarship shoot out, as out of the 100 boys that tested he was in the top 5, however as he had driven a T Car competitively the year before, under the BMW rules if you have driven a gear changing vehicle you cannot be put forward for the scholarship.
As T Cars was disbanded James carried on Karting. His 1st race off novice plates was the South West Championship back at Dunkeswell again, with 28 on the grid; James came 6th and awarded another trophy.
James has won a variety of trophies in a range of minor races both in the UK and Spain. He also holds the track record at the Mark Surer Kart track in Ondara where he practices whilst staying with his parents who live in Spain. Furthermore, James was very honoured to be offered his one weeks work experience with the McLaren F1 team, which he thoroughly enjoyed and helped confirm his enthusiasm & dedication to motor sport and F1.
