James Baldwin (racing driver)

James Baldwin
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
Born (1997-08-28) 28 August 1997 (age 27)
British GT Championship career
Debut season2020
Current teamJenson Team Rocket RJN
Racing licence FIA Silver
Car number2
Starts9
Wins1
Poles3
Best finish4th in 2020

James Robert Baldwin (born 28 August 1997) is a British racing driver and sim racer who currently competes in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for Garage 59. He raced in the 2020 British GT Championship and has competed multiple times in the 24 Hours of Spa, including a 38th overall and 11th in class finish in 2024. Baldwin achieved his first GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup podium with a 3rd place finish in the Bronze Cup category at the 2024 6 Hours of Jeddah.

Career

Baldwin began his racing career in karting aged 8, and won three DMAX National Championships at Daytona Motorsport between 2013 and 2014.[1][2][3] He switched to Formula Ford in 2015 and competed in four races. He ran competitively despite having little track time and facing mechanical issues,[4][5] but was unable to raise the funds to continue racing. He shifted his focus to sim racing and soon found himself invited to professional events with prize money available, offering a chance to reboot his career.[6][7]

Race of Champions

Baldwin won the 2019 eROC Invitational Event, gaining entry to the 2019 Race of Champions.[8] There, he won the eROC World Final. The prize was to represent Team Sim Racing All Stars in the Nations Cup, partnering future Formula One eSports Series rival Enzo Bonito.[9][10]

Baldwin returned to ROC for the 2020 edition, held this year as a virtual event. He teamed with Romain Grosjean to win the Nations Cup as Team All Stars, having earned his place by winning the eROC World Final for a second time.[11]

After not being held in 2021, Baldwin returned for the 2022 Race of Champions. Following two consecutive qualifications for the main event, he missed out on a slot in the Sim Racing All Stars team for the Nations Cup after losing out to Lucas Blakeley and Jarno Opmeer in the eRoc World Final.

World's Fastest Gamer

In 2019, his success in sim racing resulted in an invitation to Season 2 of World's Fastest Gamer (WFG), a twelve-day intensive competition between sim racers from multiple platforms. Baldwin went on to win the event and was awarded a $1 million sponsorship for a full racing season. He was the first WFG graduate to receive backing for a real-world drive.[7][12] The competition was televised in a six-part documentary series on ESPN2 and Amazon Prime.[13][14]

Formula One eSports

Baldwin signed for Alfa Romeo as a third driver for the 2019 Formula One eSports series.[15] He moved to McLaren for the 2020 season,[16] ending the season 17th with a best result of 8th and two fastest laps.

British GT Championship

On 5 March 2020, Baldwin was announced as a driver for Jenson Team Rocket RJN, partnering team co-owner Chris Buncombe in a McLaren 720S GT3 in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.[17] Due to travel difficulties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, this was later amended to a full-season entry in the 2020 British GT Championship alongside Michael O'Brien.[18]

Baldwin reached national headlines by winning on debut at Oulton Park.[19][20][21] The pair went on to take three further podiums and three pole positions, finishing fourth in the overall championship and third in the Silver Cup.

Baldwin dominated the 2021 British GT Esports Championship, with three wins from five races.[22]

On 29 April 2021, Baldwin was announced as a BRDC Rising Star.[23]

24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps

On 20 June 2022, Baldwin announced, via his Instagram account, that he would be racing in the 2022 edition of the 24 Hours of Spa, thanks to the support of the company Travel Planet. He would be driving a Garage 59 entered McLaren 720S GT3, alongside Nicolai Kjærgaard, Manuel Maldonado, and Ethan Simioni, racing in the Silver Cup class.

After qualifying 26th overall and 5th in class, ahead of all other McLaren entries, as well as dominating the Fanatec Esports GT Pro Series virtual support race, Baldwin failed to finish the race following a radiator problem on lap 227.

On the 30th of May 2024, via a post on X, James announced that he would be partaking in the 2024 edition of the race with Garage 59. Baldwin competed in the 2024 24 Hours of Spa, driving a McLaren 720S GT3 Evo for Garage 59. He and his teammates finished 38th overall and 11th in the Bronze Cup class.[24][25]

GT World Challenge Europe

Following his participation in the 2024 24 Hours of Spa, James Baldwin was called up by Garage 59 to race in the 2024 3 Hours of Monza. At Monza, Baldwin and his teammates qualified 31st but were forced to retire from the race due to a gearbox failure.[26][27][28]

Baldwin was then called up to race in the 6 Hours of Jeddah, where he and his team finished 22nd overall and 3rd in the Bronze Cup category, claiming his first-ever GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup podium.[29][30]

FIA Motorsport Games

On 29 October 2022, Baldwin competed for the United Kingdom in the FIA Motorsport Games Esports Cup hosted at Circuit Paul Ricard in France. Baldwin finished the Final in front of Dutch simracer Chris Harteveld and won the first Gold medal for the UK in FIA Motorsport Games history.[31]

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2015 Avon Tyres Formula Ford 1600 National - Post 89 ? 4 0 0 0 0 5 41st
2020 British GT Championship - GT3 Jenson Team Rocket RJN 9 1 3 0 4 125 4th
2022 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Garage 59 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2024 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Garage 59 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC

Complete British GT Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap in class)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points
2020 Jenson Team Rocket RJN McLaren 720S GT3 GT3 OUL
1
1 		OUL
2
6 		DON
1
8 		DON
2
9 		BRH
1
2 		DON
1
3 		SNE
1
8 		SNE
2
6 		SIL
1
3 		4th 125


Fanatec GT Europe 2024 results

Team Race Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
United Kingdom Garage 59 2024 24 Hours of Spa Denmark Nicolai Kjærgaard
United Kingdom Chris Salkeld
United Kingdom Mark Sansom 		McLaren 720S GT3 Evo Bronze 454 38th 11th
United Kingdom Garage 59 3 Hours of Monza United Kingdom Mark Sansom
Denmark Nicolai Kjærgaard 		McLaren 720S GT3 Evo Bronze 40 DNF DNF
United Kingdom Garage 59 6 Hours of Jeddah United Kingdom Mark Sansom
Denmark Nicolai Kjærgaard 		McLaren 720S GT3 Evo Bronze 160 22nd 3rd

Complete Spa 24 Hour results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2022 United Kingdom Garage 59 Denmark Nicolai Kjærgaard
Venezuela Manuel Maldonado
Canada Ethan Simioni 		McLaren 720S GT3 Silver 227 DNF DNF
2024 United Kingdom Garage 59 Denmark Nicolai Kjærgaard
United Kingdom Chris Salkeld
United Kingdom Mark Sansom 		McLaren 720S GT3 Evo Bronze 454 38th 11th

References

  1. ^ "The Vodafone Dmax 2013 Championships Round 10" (PDF). daytonamax.co.uk. 17 November 2013. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  2. ^ "The TW Steel DMAX Champs 2014 – Round 10 – Daytona Sandown Park" (PDF). daytonamax.co.uk. p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  3. ^ "The TW Steel DMAX Champs 2014 – Round 10 – Daytona Sandown Park" (PDF). daytonamax.co.uk. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  4. ^ "BRSCC Formula Ford 1600: Race Report - Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit, 9/10th May" (PDF). brsccff1600.co.uk. May 2015. pp. 15, 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  5. ^ "BRSCC Formula Ford 1600: Race Report - Silverstone National Circuit, 15th August" (PDF). brsccff1600.co.uk. August 2015. pp. 14, 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  6. ^ Hewgill, Christian (1 August 2020). "James Baldwin: World's fastest gamer to real life racer - BBC News". BBC Newsbeat. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b "James Baldwin named World's Fastest Gamer - earns real-world US$1 million race drive - World's Fastest Gamer". worldsfastestgamer.com. 30 October 2019. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  8. ^ Gillard, Aaron (6 December 2018). "James Baldwin wins eROC invitational and entry to Race of Champions in Mexico". thecheckeredflag.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  9. ^ "James Baldwin crowned eROC Champion in Mexico City". raceofchampions.com. 18 January 2019. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Team Nordic's Kristensen and Kristoffersson win ROC Nations Cup in Mexico City". raceofchampions.com. 18 January 2019. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  11. ^ "World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen wins first ever Virtual Race Of Champions". raceofchampions.com. 27 July 2020. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  12. ^ Dagys, John (30 October 2019). "Baldwin Named World's Fastest Gamer; Wins $1 Million GT Drive – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  13. ^ "World's Fastest Gamer documentary series to premiere on ESPN networks - World's Fastest Gamer". worldsfastestgamer.com. 9 July 2020. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Word's Fastest Gamer races onto Amazon Prime". worldsfastestgamer.com. 26 December 2020. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Alfa Romeo Racing F1 Esports Team Launch New-Look Team in Silverstone - F1Esports News". f1esports.com. 11 July 2019. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  16. ^ Quinn, Nathan (22 July 2020). "World's Fastest Gamer Baldwin joins McLaren F1 Esports team - The Race". the-race.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  17. ^ Kilshaw, Jake (5 March 2020). "WFG Winner Baldwin Gets Rocket RJN Drive – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  18. ^ Lloyd, Daniel (6 July 2020). "Jenson Rocket RJN Switches to National GT3 Program – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  19. ^ "World's Fastest Gamer wins in real-world professional racing debut". worldsfastestgamer.com. 2 August 2020. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Motul - News/ The Drum - James Baldwin: world's fastest gamer wins GT3 debut!". motul.com. 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  21. ^ Williams-Smith, Jake (14 August 2020). "From World's Fastest Gamer to British GT winner on debut". motorsportmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  22. ^ "Esports: Dominant Baldwin wraps up GT3 title at Silverstone; McIntyre extends GT4 fight to season finale". britishgt.com. 11 April 2021. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  23. ^ "NEW BRDC RISING STARS ANNOUNCED". brdc.co.uk. 29 April 2021. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  24. ^ "2024 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa - Main Race Results". GT World Challenge Europe. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  25. ^ "I Entered the World's Biggest GT3 Race". YouTube. James Baldwin. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  26. ^ "2024 GT World Challenge Europe - Monza Qualification Results". GT World Challenge Europe. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  27. ^ "2024 GT World Challenge Europe - Monza Race Results". GT World Challenge Europe. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  28. ^ "My First Race at Monza Ended in DISASTER..." YouTube. James Baldwin. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  29. ^ "2024 GT World Challenge Europe - Jeddah Race Results". GT World Challenge Europe. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  30. ^ "James Baldwin's First GT World Challenge Podium". Instagram. James Baldwin. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  31. ^ Evans, Andrew (29 October 2022). "James Baldwin Wins FIA Motorsport Games Esports Gold for Team UK". www.gtplanet.net. Retrieved 30 October 2022.