Britain’s one and only MotoGP star James Toseland will entertain the crowds at the bwin.com British Grand Prix at Donington Park next week in two very different ways.
On Sunday June 22 the hopes and expectations of all British fans fall on his very capable shoulders as he takes on the likes of Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa on his one and only home appearance of the season in the 30 lap MotoGP race.
On Thursday he swaps the handlebars of his Tech 3 Yamaha to the keyboard of the piano to indulge in his other great passion playing with his band Crash at the annual Riders For Heath Charity event, The Day of Champions, in the Donington paddock. On Friday night after the first day of practice, Toseland leads Crash back into action at a concert on the Stage opposite Starkey bar.
It’s an amazing contrast for the 27 year old Yorkshireman who has made such an impression on his first year in one of the fastest and toughest of all sporting arenas, the MotoGP World Championship.
The fans at Donington will relish the opportunity to witness Toseland doing what he does so brilliantly, racing a 200mph motorcycle against the very best in the world and playing the piano either alone or with the band. It’s an amazing combination and something that Toseland enjoys so much, although both make him more than a little nervous.
“I played the piano for the guests in the Barcelona paddock on the night before the Grand Prix of Catalunya last week and I was more nervous than before the start of MotoGP qualifying earlier in the afternoon,” explained Toseland, who finished sixth the next day in a frantic high speed battle.” I was classically trained to play the piano and I still read music which is a great advantage. I still practice as much as I can and really enjoy just playing.”
On Sunday there will be no time to read music or practice for Toseland as he returns home to race for the first time as a MotoGP star. It’s a day that both the talented musician and his vast army of fans have been waiting for a very long time.
“It’s going be a very special weekend for all of us and I can’t wait. The last five grands prix have been at circuits I’ve never raced on before but now I arrive home at Donington which I know so well. I can start setting up the bike from the very first minute of practice and not spend so much time learning the track. A podium finish in front of those fans is my objective.”
The last British rider to finish on the podium in the MotoGP class was Ulsterman Jeremy McWilliams eight years ago and he can’t play the piano.
