MEET THE PILOTS: JOHN WILSON
Part of a new wave of powerboat enthusiasts, swapping four wheels for single-engine hulls, Premier Cru driver John Wilson is the archetypal motorsports fanatic. Having finally plucked up the courage to chase a lifelong passion at the tender age of 52, Wilson is revelling in racing against Britain's best powerboat pilots.
The brains behind a national pizza restaurant chain Snappy Tomato Pizza, Wilson has been busy preparing for the Penzance Grand Prix of the Sea on May 21-23, by racing around the Oulton Park circuit in anticipation of April's opening rounds of the URS Classic Formula Ford 2000 Championship.
Tearing around in the same single-seater cars as a young Ayton Senna, when the Brazillian was just starting his career in motor racing, at 6"5, Wilson hardly possesses the ideal identikit for your modern day speedster.
Remembering "growing up pursuing his mates around various motor racing circuits" for the best part of 20 years, Wilson was belatedly offered the chance to squeeze into a car and hasn't looked back since, racing at some of Europe's most challenging circuits.
Excited by the challenge of the "race track continuously moving," Wilson believes more motor racing drivers will be enticed away from their well oiled four-wheeled machines and into a new career on the seas.
"There are a number of people who enjoy the four wheel experience that may not take to it, but there will also be a great number that will be enthralled to take on both machine and the constantly changing elements on the water," he said.
"Every metre of sea throws something different at you. The emotional high you experience coming out on top after 30 to 40 minutes of intense boat handling in extremely difficult conditions is indescribable.
"It's a different thrill-a-minute. You can't wait for next race to come."
Clubbing together with a couple of chums after buying a 150 Class Cougar hull, Wilson has been thriving on the level-playing field of powerboat racing in the Honda Formula 4-Stroke Association since 2008. He put his natural driving skills to good effect, transferring his success on the road to the water en route to picking up the UK championship's Rookie of the Year award two seasons ago.
Like any novice, Wilson "made a lot of mistakes" in his debut season, but after a lot of rigorous training with Neil Holmes in Hamble, Premier Cru finished runners-up in only its second race. Now with the errors diminishing with every race, the Warwickshire-based food industry expert is hoping for more podiums and extra opportunities to sign autographs in 2010.
"The beauty of powerboat racing is the interaction between the public and the racers. After finishing on the podium for the first time, I remember thinking I was a superstar with lots of children surrounding me, asking to autograph their programmes. It was a great feeling."
Looking ahead in earnest to see how Powerboat P1 is going to freshen up British powerboating and bring it up to speed with its commercially viable motor racing competitors, Wilson is excited to be joining his new family and expects the majority of his old peers to follow suit before the opening grand prix of the season in Cornwall.
"The key to the deal is the level of professionalism Powerboat P1 brings and its profile in the media and marine industry. If they stick to those credentials and the television production is done properly, then I'm sure the SuperStock Championship is going to be a massive success."
