James made a determined return to his roots for the first round of this year's Formula KGP Super One Championship, where he joined up with Benjy Russell's Intrepid team for the weekend.



There were an impressive number of entries for the new Formula KGP class, which could well become the future Blue Riband class if current speculation is to be believed, as it is not just a quick class, but is considerably cheaper to race when compared to most other kart classes available.



Former British champion Mike Simpson won the final from pole position, but after a torrid time in qualifying (12th) and the heats, James was further back on the grid on the outside of row four and so had plenty of work to do. In Simpson's wake there was a classic fight for the runner-up place, as Denis Gorman fought to hang onto second place, although his task became a little more difficult after James, who had carved his way up into third place, put the younger racer under pressure. James had found that changes the team had made meant he was, finally, on a kart that worked to his satisfaction, and he was soon up into Gorman’s slipstream.



Although James quickly found a way by for second place, Gorman raised his game and fought back, and all went well until he tried a move on James as they swept towards the right-hander before Pits Bend. Overly committed and on the edge of losing control, Gorman was slightly off-line after the exit, leaving James to press onwards to re-claim 2nd place before the pits entrance, when the two of them collided, sadly with Gorman spinning into the tyre barrier. Both drivers made it clear that it was a racing incident with no blame attached, and yet James was hauled before the officials and disqualified, later changed under appeal to a five-place penalty, although that was not accepted by James and his team, who were aggrieved by the decision taken.

For his part Denis Gorman made it clear that he had no ill-feeling towards his rival following their clash. “I gather James has appealed to the MSA,” Gorman said after the race, “so I guess I probably shouldn't say much, only that we were having an enjoyable battle, and that I didn't see his kart inside me when I turned into the corner where we made contact. The one thing I'd really like is to clarify my position, as I worry that I'll get some bad reception on this - I didn't put in a protest or complaint, the penalty applied to James was borne off the official's own back.”

It was a sad end to what would have been a sterling recovery to a strong runner-up position, but with the unfortunate penalty still in place, it now seems likely that the matter will be taken before an RAC MSA Tribunal for James to clear his name.