By Joe Murphy
Wheel2Wheel Reports was delighted to have an in-depth conversation with veteran racing driver ‘JM’ about his career highlights and racing insights.
There isn’t much in the world of motorsport that the British driver hasn’t achieved. Racing around some of the most notable circuits in the world and competing in some of the most prestigious events that exist in racing, it may come as some surprise that JM actually came into motorsport relatively late. Whilst stories of stars like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen karting almost before they could walk, it wasn’t until his mid-twenties until the racer started properly competing in competitive action. JM revealed that it wasn’t so much karting but more endurance races and GT Cars that was his preference.
Nevertheless, with multiple wins in the 24 Hour Porsche series coupled with a podium in Le Mans as well as several notable results across the Porsche Supercup and Gulf 12 Hour, there are few with such an impressive CV over the last decade and a half. Experiences of racing at length, at night, in blistering conditions and whilst severely dehydrated have all come together to build one of the most experienced racers imagineable.
Having represented outfits such as Lamborghini and Porsche, it was of some surprise that JM revealed his admiration for Brabham above all others. He complemented there driveability and remembered how they feel when behind the wheel when compared to other brands.
Not only has he raced in different vehicles, but also across different series. Arguably, his expertise lies in endurance racing. 24 hour races are somewhat of a speciality, and JM provided first hand insight about the structure of such events, even going a step further with the 25-Hour Spa race being one of his highlights. Such events can take months to prepare for in terms of learning the track and tuning your body to be in the best possible shape for your stints. He stressed it is vital to prepare both mentally and physically for such events, due to the demands that endurance racing brings.
JM revealed the best time to race in a 24 hour session was either sunset or sunrise, with long stints overnight being comparatively tougher. Some circuits such as the aforementioned Spa have barely any lighting aside from the start-finish straight, he revealed. This makes conditions much tougher than even normal. On the other hand, Abu Dhabi is lit up fairly consistently, with only optional light shut off occasionally enforced to challenge racers further. Of course, it was made clear that weather can also play a huge part, with fog, rain and high temperatures all influencing the performance of both car and man behind the wheel.
Speaking of conditions, the stints which can last anywhere from two to five hours work in regular intervals and of course, you are racing as part of a team. When you are not in line to race, JM recalls how he would get away from the track. Resting, eating and escapism are the names of the game. Often, it was revealed that drivers can go back to their caravans or hotel rooms, just to mentally and physically remove themselves from the track environment for a period of time in order to maximise driver performance.
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One other key element is hydration. With temperatures in the car itself often exceeding the late thirties centigrade, 3kg of water weight is often lost in less than a two hour window. With the order or racing often decided by certain drivers standings in the team, full use of the breaks needs to be centered around keeping water levels high enough, otherwise it makes driving for such periods of time near impossible.
He made the point that F1 drivers even have it ‘easy’ in comparison, as the cars are often hot, wet and smelly places to be during a race. In other words, it’s a intense place to be. JM claimed that water, even with ice, often turns to a hot fluid, often within minutes of the stint commencing. Not so helpful considering the hot temperatures and highly insulated attire prescribed to the drivers themselves.
It’s not always the same temperature however, with ranges between Silverstones’s single digits morning stint being up to ten times less than that of Barcelona in the peak of summer. Having raced and won in the Spanish city in 2022, both this track, along with Paul Ricard, hold high regard with JM, although his favourite by a considerable margin is Nordschleife. He confirmed this was his favourite racetrack and loves racing there whenever he gets the chance, going as far as saying he’d love to do it again.
Racing now takes a different shape for JM. While the full-time racing is currently on pause, his passion for the sport remains as strong as ever. He explained that entering your forties brings a deeper race craft and sharper instincts, even if reaction times begin to shift slightly. Rather than stepping away, he’s redirected his experience into supporting and mentoring the next generation of racing talent – a role he clearly takes pride in.
If you’d like to keep tabs with JM and his racing, then you can follow his Instagram using this link…
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