Barnsley racing driver, James Merrills who is President of the Karting society, is preparing for his first full season on track after joining a leading driver management business.
James, 23, has signed with MSL Motorsport Consultancy and is considering his racing options for 2021. He recently completed a day-long test at Silverstone, the home of British motorsport, working with respected team, Excelr8 Motorsport, and receiving coaching from Tom Ingram, a multiple race-winner in the British Touring Car Championship.
MSL, which specialises in professional driver management and sponsorship acquisition, spotted James’ talents during an online eSports championship held during the summer lockdown. The MSL MINI Challenge UK Official eSeries, organised by the Virtual Reality Racing Club and run in conjunction with the MINI Challenge UK championship, allowed real-world drivers to compete against gamers across eight rounds.
It proved a massive success, attracting leading racers and drivers to compete for a prize fund worth more than £20,000. The eSeries reached an audience of more than 3 million people with live streaming and highlights broadcast on Amazon Prime video.
James, from Darfield, was one of the standout drivers of the eSeries, attracting attention from MSL. He signed to its Driver Management Programme last month and work on plans for the 2021 season began immediately.
During the recent Silverstone test James drove a JCW race car from the MINI Challenge UK championship. This series, which is under consideration for next season, is an official support event to the BTCC, making it a high-profile championship with live ITV coverage and an audience in excess of 19 million.
Feedback from Excelr8, which runs cars in series including the MINI Challenge UK and BTCC, and Tom Ingram was universally positive. In tricky conditions, James delivered an impressive performance during his first experience of the car.
MSL Motorsport Consultancy Chief Executive Brendan Beeken said: “James has impressed us with his determination and dedication, as well as his driving talent. He understands the need for hard work on and off the track and is committed to delivering.
“His test performance at Silverstone was excellent. It was an intensive day of driving, coaching and working with the team, and there is no question he has natural talent, the will to learn and the focus to succeed.
“We are working hard on plans for 2021, James’ first full season of racing, and hope to be able to make an announcement soon.”
James added: “I have spent many years working towards a career in motorsport and I suppose the moment it really hit me that it was starting to work was when I saw my name and number on the side of the race car. That is a significant moment for a racing driver.”
He continued: “MSL has been fantastic at making big things happen in a short space of time. I see that in their work with other MSL drivers as well, not just with me, it is what they do. I’m really looking forward to my first full season in racing next year – it’s a dream I’ve dedicated my life to.”
Follow James’s progress on Instagram by following @james_merrills and @mslmotorsport
We have some really talented and passionate students in our societies and YOU can get involved too. If you want to develop a hobby or skill like James, find out more about our societies here.