Christian Williams spends his life either behind the wheel of a supercar or a microphone.
In the latest instalment of his monthly motoring column for the County Press, the BOTB presenter hangs up his mic as a Virgin Radio DJ (for now) and goes green with envy at missing the Sandown Sprint.
Christian writes: It’s not often I’m envious when it comes to cars. After all, I’m so lucky when it comes to driving some of the latest and greatest, as well as getting VIP invites to all sorts of insider unveilings and functions.
I give supercars away for a living and I spend my spare time drooling over auction sites and Ferrari forums.
It’s a helluva job but someone has to do it, right?
Yet at the beginning of the month, I was sat at my desk in London with a face like thunder.
I was trying my best to concentrate while every 30 seconds another one of my friends posted a picture on Instagram from the Island Car Centre Sandown Sprint, the twice-cancelled speed event which thankfully went ahead third time lucky on April 2.
Read more: Isle of Wight hosts Sandown Sprint speed extravaganza
With the weather gods onside and crowds of people desperate to make the most of the recent relaxation of Covid restrictions, this was a perfect chance to not only show off the Island at its best but return to some of the race traditions we enjoyed in the past.
After all, who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned razz down a road which is normally either speed-restricted or busy with some locals doing 20mph?
The support from the Isle of Wight was outstanding — not only turning out in their droves to bolster the event, but putting out the welcome mat to motoring enthusiasts from all over the UK.
And we’ve not even talked about the cars yet…what a collection of beauties! Big credit to a good friend of mine, Toby, who managed to get his Lotus first in class, Richard Weaver, who I saw, knows the Sandown roads just as well as the Bembridge ones, and there were a lot of other fantastic cars on show going flat out!
So hats off to the organisers — their determination has paid off and they put on one hugely impressive show, so I’m desperately hoping it comes back next year and I can be involved in some way.
All my friends posted their speed trial times so I’ve definitely got something to aim for!
The sprint was, in many ways, behind my decision to take a step back from Virgin Radio this month.
I’ve loved my time there and I’m sure I’ll back behind the mic soon, but working weekend shifts meant I was never able to whizz away on a Friday evening and make the most of the UK’s best motoring events.
Working Monday to Friday for BOTB — which means travelling all over the UK and Europe — then working weekends on my radio show just became chaotic.
I never had any downtime (my girlfriend will testify to this), let alone any time off, and because I’m besotted with cars I was prepared to take the punt and see what life looks like without a mixing desk in front of me for a bit.
Admittedly it’s sad to say goodbye for now, and a little bit scary, especially as I’d really built up an affinity with the listeners, but I’ve been involved in radio for all of my adult life so I doubt it will be too long before I’m back on the airwaves somewhere.
In the meantime, I’ll be making the most of my spare time and driving all over the UK in search of cool motoring events, races and festivals.
In fact, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line on Instagram — @christianw — if you’ve got any exciting car-related intel.
I’m keen to do as much nosying as possible in the coming months and I am always on the lookout for interesting locations and activities.
Just don’t tell my girlfriend quite yet…I think she was expecting to have me to herself for a bit!
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