London: Who in his right mind, being a multi-millionaire with a stunning popstar girlfriend, would choose to squabble for elbow room in a melee of madcap motorbike racers at 300-plus kph? James Toseland. That's who.
The handsome heart throb, a gifted musician and singer, has just been forced to quit World Superbike racing, the class in which he was twice crowned king and the youngest-ever champion.
But it was with great reluctance and if his preference had been granted he would, at 31, still be mixing it with those who will not willingly cede one inch of track — even if he wasn't being paid for his bravery.
Toseland crashed badly early in the season and might well have lost his right hand, but after surgery he opted to race on for BMW in the WSB series, then fell off again a week ago in Germany.
The tumble was a consequence of an inability to have full control of the throttle and brake of the blurringly fast machine — but he woke up to the decision, based on a concerned friend-surgeon's advice, that he would never regain full use of the hand and he was a danger not only to himself but to those action men around him. Despite a desire to race that has burned in him since he was a seven-year-old kid competitor, Yorkshireman Toseland, fearful that he could be only an also-ran in the top-flight, opted out.
"I would be cheating if I carried on, because I know I couldn't be competitive. It would not be fair on my team, the fans or myself.
"I am just not the sort of guy who could take the money and tour around somewhere [in the] middle or back of the field. It was a heartbreaker of a decision because I reckon without this injury I could have raced on for a good few years with a great chance of winning a third world championship."
His second biggest worry was that he could further damage his hand — and as a talented piano player that would have been a total disaster.
Music is his second love. He has his own band "Crash" and has been doing at least 15 charity shows a year. He is so talented — as a vocalist, too — that music legend Jools Holland invited him on stage to play at one of his concerts for 25,000 people, then tried to persuade him to pack up the risky business to become a pop performer.
That move was backed by a music company who pleaded with Toseland to sign with them. And Status Quo offered to back him for an album.
"He has all the necessary things... looks, terrific talent as a piano player and a great voice with bags of appeal, especially for the girl fans," said Holland.
Not only that, he was given worldwide exposure when the BBC invited him to play one of his own compositions accompanied by the renowned London Symphony Orchestra as the introduction to their televised Sports Personality awards show.
But despite being worth around £10 million (Dh56.7 million) and with his mother urging him to swop his bike for a mike, nothing could sway him from his unfaltering energy to reign as a motorbike race champion again.
Destiny, however, took the decision out of his hands — and nobody is happier or more relieved than his girlfriend, global pop star singer Katie Melua.
They could now even perform as a double-act, the best-looking and most talented twosome on the planet... or James could take up the recording company offer he backed away from a couple of years back.
Neither is revealing a plan for their futures, whether they go their separate ways professionally, or join up for what would be a sure-fire seller of a show.
Painful decision
"To pack up racing, when it has been my life, was the worst moment of my life," Toseland said. "But I shall just have to get used to the idea that what has been the basis of my very existence no longer applies and I'll have to look for something else to fill my time.
"Inevitably, I guess, that will be music. But no decisions have yet been reached on how that could work."
Toseland, a 16-time winner, added: "Katie has been an absolute treasure, very supportive and understanding since I told her I was giving up racing. And I love her to bits."
The writer is a motor sports expert based in UK.
