CHRISTIAN’S RISE INTO SUPERBIKES
Imagine what it’s like to have a job which involves hurtling around a track at speeds of up to 200mph, braking hard, leaning into corners at impossible angles, putting your body on the line – all in the pursuit of the slim chance of making it on to the podium.
Following a motorbike accident a few years back, I came into contact with one such racer who is sponsored by the same firm which handled my personal injury case, Thorneycroft Solicitors, of Macclesfield, Cheshire.
Christian Iddon competes in British Superbikes and is currently in his fourth season with the BMW Tyco team. The 34-year-old, from Stockport, revealed having a bike-racer dad was a major influence.
Christian competed in his first event – a schoolboy motocross – at the age of just six and says: “I didn’t win, but I didn’t come completely last and buzzing around on my little PW50 [Yamaha dirt bike] seemed to become second nature.”
For the next 10 years, the youngster competed in motocross until he sustained a badly broken collarbone in 2001.
He then moved into Supermoto and, in 2003, won the 450 and Open Summer Championships.
The next year he switched to the S2 class.
He says: “It was a wake-up call. I was having to push and find new limits race by race. The pace and depth of field was incredible.”
In 2005 he took part in a Moto1 event “just for a laugh” – and ended up winning it. Joining the Factory Aprilia team he achieved four straight World Championship podiums in 2006, before damaging a knee ligament.
Christian says: “2007 was even better and I took two British titles as well as finishing third in the FIM World Championship.”
Two broken wrists meant the 2008 season was a struggle, although he made his debut in road racing, winning every race that he entered in the Thundersport GB series.
In 2014 at a one-off British Superbikes race at Assen, Holland, he took pole and attracted the Tyco BMW squad, which is where he spent the 2016 season and got six podium finishes.
The past two years were marred by injuries, but Christian remains with Tyco BMW for the current British Superbike Championship season.
Asked about his motivation, he tells me: “My aim never changes. I race every race with the intent of winning the British Superbike Championship.
“The thrill always stays with you. When you are on the bike and riding well, there’s nothing like it.”