Following the opening race at Qatar on Sunday 9 March, James will film a personal diary piece for sponsor Bennetts, which will be broadcast on http://www.bennetts.co.uk/ and with media partner www.motorcyclenews.com

Each clip of diary footage will be a personal and informal chat with the 27-year-old about his progress on his debut in the MotoGP Championship. Bennetts – the nation’s favourite bike insurance provider – wanted to provide more personal access to Britain’s only contender throughout the 2008 season. The diary will chart James’s highs and lows from his own perspective and give viewers a true insight into the person inside the helmet.

 2008 is a crucial year for the double World Superbike Champion as he tries to succeed in a career move where several other British contenders have previously failed. On testing reports and determination alone, the Yorkshireman is already being hailed as the next Barry Sheene and the most successful motorcycle racing figure of his generation.

James is hoping to make history with every race of the season and the Bennetts video diary will enable fans to witness and commemorate what could be some of motorcycling’s most important events.

“I’m really excited about doing the video diary,” says James. “It’s really special to be able to talk direct to the fans in my own words about my successes and frustrations. I’d like to thanks Bennetts for making this happen and I hope that people enjoying watching the clips.”

 “James is already a popular rider and the interest in him seems to be growing enormously as he fast approaches his MotoGP race debut,” says Bennetts Marketing Director Mark Fells. “We wanted to use our privileged position as a personal sponsor to give something back to our customers and all motorcycle racing enthusiasts. There is no better way to chart James’ progress than through his own thoughts and words.”

For further information or to view the James Toseland video diary please visit www.bennetts.co.uk

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For further information please contact Rebecca Brocklesby on 01652 680060 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bennetts is a trading name of BISL Limited, Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6YS. Registered in England No. 3231094.

BISL Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

THE BACKGROUND TO BENNETTS 

• Bennetts was established in Coventry by the Bennetts family in 1930 to provide insurance services to people throughout the West Midlands.

·         In the early 1980’s Bennetts decided to devise a number of specialist insurance schemes that would meet the needs of different types of biker. These schemes are constantly reviewed to give bikers the exact cover they need.

·         In 2000 Bennetts was the first motorcycle insurance specialist to offer the ability to buy insurance online, through its website, www.bennetts.co.uk.

• In October 2001, the Bennetts brand was acquired by the BGL Group (formerly the Budget Group of Companies), through its purchase of the Dial Direct Group, a major UK car insurance intermediary.

·         The BGL Group was established in 1992, and has grown to be the UK’s third largest personal lines insurance intermediary, through a combination of organic growth and a series of major strategic acquisitions.

• The BGL Group now arranges and administers insurance for around 1,200,000 customers and has contact centre operations in Peterborough, Coventry, Sunderland and Cape Town, South Africa.  It currently employs 2255 people and its head office is in Peterborough.

• In May 2003, Bennetts unveiled its new brand identity to the industry.

• Bennetts became personal sponsor of former World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson in May 2003.

• In June 2004 and again in June 2006, independent brand tracking research identified Bennetts as the UK’s number one brand for motorcycle insurance.

• In January 2005, Bennetts signed the biggest sponsorship deal in the history of the brand by becoming title sponsor of the 2005 Bennetts British Superbike Championship.  Bennetts continued its sponsorship of the British Superbike Championship in 2006 and 2007.

·         In June 2007, Bennetts became official series sponsor of the World Superbike Championship for the remainder of the 2007 championship and for the whole of the 2008 championship.

·         Bennetts became personal sponsor of current World Superbike Championship leader James Toseland in July 2007.