Exclusive with James Thompson

TouringCarTimes had a chat with the touring car ace James Thompson during the World Touring Car Championship race at Oschersleben. Thompson is currently racing a Honda Accord in the WTCC for N-Technology, the very same team he finished third in the WTCC 2007 in an Alfa Romeo 156. In this interview Thompson answers question on the problems with the Honda Accord, the best years in Super Touring, the future and much more.

What do you think about the season so far?

We have a lot of problems. We missed the first two races at Mexico and Brazil. At Valencia it was very difficult! We had some problems with the car, some engine failures and so on. The main problem is that we don’t test. We hadn’t got a test since the beginning of the season. When there are so many problems you don’t have a progress. If you are not driving and do not have a development budget you can’t hope to keep the results coming.

What are the main problems with the car?

In general: The car needs more power, more downforce and more work with the chassis. There wasn’t work towards that during the last three years. The car is a 2005 designed car and now we are runing this car in 2008. We did not have a winter test program and all the other things what you have to do when you want to be a top team. At the beginning of the year things looked much better. I was confident but now I realize that we have to climb a mountain.

What do you think about the coming races?

If you look at our car performance we have not got much kilos in the car. When you look at the SEAT that has got much more kilos in the car and they are much faster, it is really frustrating! But you also have to say that they make a good job. And that is the level we have to bring the car too.

What do think you about Imola and Monza?

The same… Our performance will not change. We need one second or 1,5 seconds to the top teams. It depends on which track we have. In the races the differences compared to the other cars and our car isn’t that much. But if we had the same weight in all cars, we would be at the back of the grid.

Can you say anthing about next year?

I don’t know. I would like to say yes. I would like to be here in WTCC but the reality is we can’t go on. We would need budget and perhaps a new car. We need a program and not just only for six months or one year. You need a propper development. In my eyes you need 3 years. Look at BMW, SEAT and Chevrolet.

What about the rumors of you going back to BTCC next year?

I have to consider every option. I am not a quitter. I am not the man that if I have a bad year I say goodbye. If there is not a drive available in the WTCC, I have to go back to the UK. I prefer to win races. This year is very frustrating. I want to win races and I enjoy the challenge here. But it is too early to speak about this. I love this team and I would love to stay, but when there is no plan for the future I have to leave. It is a frustrating situation for the whole team. Last year we were third in the championship and we won races. It is a change for the whole team.

You made a name in the BTCC during the Super Touring era, which were the best years?

I think I have had a lot of good years. 1998 and 1999 were very good years. The drivers and the cars were very good. On a personal point of view 2004 and the fight with Yvan (Muller) was a good one. It was very close and I had three years with Yvan which were very good. I enjoyed that. When you see Yvan here you can say that you fought with one of the best drivers in the world in one team and you were so close. But the WTCC is the highest level in touring cars now. So I think that last year was the best year with Alfa when we had the old car. With what we had, with the mileage we did and the budget we had. The team made such a fantastic job. Working with the car and finding every last millisecond and then to finish third with the chance to win the title in the last race… That was amazing!

If you look at the other end, which year was your worst?

Definitely in DTM with Abt Sportsline. I didn’t enjoy the time there. That was a very difficult situation. Before that I had only raced in good teams.

A normal day in the life of James Thompson is?

I wake up very early. Always seven o’clock. I am from a farming family so I had to wake up very early. In the morning I do something for my fitness. I run and I play a lot of tennis. I am also at a lot of parties, meet friends. I have a good balance in my life.

What do you think you are doing in five years?

I love to do Le Mans. I love the GT1 cars and the track. But it is really difficult. I have only done touring cars and you need a lot experience for that. I started racing in touring cars when I was 19. When you look at Gabriele (Tarquini) I could drive for another 12 years. Manufacturers are looking for young drivers and I have a lot experience. So I think it is a good time for me now.

What do you think about the future of the WTCC and the new rules?

Firstly, SEAT has done an amazing job. The car is so far ahead of everybody else and they should win the championship. I am happy for them. But the reality situation is that we have differences. Everybody must have the same base and everybody must have the same chance. It is too difficult for a new manufacturer to be competitive. In this year it is too much talk about who is right and who is wrong. We need more manufacturers. It would be good the WTCC. The racing is fantastic. To have 17 cars within one second is amazing. You don’t know who will win the next race. There is something right here and we could it make it very right.

You drove Super Touring cars and the S2000 cars. Which car is the better one in your eyes?

The Super Touring cars were much more difficult to drive. You always had to be on the edge, I loved to drive those cars. Those cars were much faster, but not nessecarely in the laptimes. You must see that we have much wider tyres now while the Super Touring cars had more power and less weight. The cars were more reactive and had more downforce. But the cars were too expensive. You can build more S2000 cars with the same money. Also, a privat team can run a S2000 car. And also important is that the show in Formula 1 isn’t really good at the moment. A lot of people come to the races to see real racing and a fantastic show. And that is that what the WTCC has: A fantastic show with good cars and the best drivers.