Sports Personality of the Year 2007

[wends]

James Toseland is shortlisted as one of the 10 possible contenders to win this award. A public vote by phone will decide the winner during the show on BBC One, which is being broadcast from 1900 GMT on Sunday 9 December from the NEC in Birmingham. The number will probably be given out at the beginning of the show so if you want our man James to win, call (or text, whatever they decide) and tell your mates about it and show the world that James is the man for this prestigous award. He's twice won the World Superbike championship against great opposition and deserves to be recognised for this feat, especially after a Brands Hatch double in front of his home crowd.

[ChrisS]

Good to see a motorcycle racer nominated though I think his chances of winning are slim, he probably has the least chance to win out of the 10

motorcycle racing fans are a small minority and everyone is still caught up in the Hamilton hype. Hamilton is almost certain to win it.

[maxu05]

Good to see a motorcycle racer nominated though I think his chances of winning are slim, he probably has the least chance to win out of the 10

motorcycle racing fans are a small minority and everyone is still caught up in the Hamilton hype. Hamilton is almost certain to win it.

I agree 100%. As well as he has done, he will be overshadowed by Hamilton IMO.

[patnicholls]

Major award ceremonies are always an odd one from the perspective of knowledgable fans.

JT has obviously had a superb season. Even the Aussies have been impressed with him :p So has Andy Priaulx, who won the World Touring Car title for the third year in a row [he also won the European title - the same competition with a different name - the year before that too]. Lewis also had a brilliant year, even though he didn't quite get the title in the end. Three excellent motorsport Brits - one of our best years ever.

From a racing-only perspective I'd vote for JT, but my vote will be going to Lewis, however.

The reasoning behind that is quite straightforward. It's down to the sheer number of people who've got interested in F1 through hearing about him - I believe that for much of this season the viewing figures were twice or three times what they were last year in the UK. The number of people mentioning motorsport to me at work has gone through the roof. Yes, they're 'glory supporters', and highly aided by the mainstream media, but they are at least taking an interest. For all their brilliant efforts and well-deserved titles, JT and Andy Priaulx haven't been responsible for anyone I know turning on a TV to watch some racing this year, sadly.

Purely from a quality-of-racing perspective, imho Lewis should have got Sports Personality last year for his efforts in winning GP2 (the car spec promotes much better racing in GP2), but in the mainstream world no-one outside of the specialist motor racing press had heard of him until March 2007.

I look at Sports Personality like I look at a lot of major awards. If I watch a music awards ceremony and the band/album I like best doesn't win, it doesn't matter - it doesn't change [i]my opinion of the album or band after all. Same with anything of which you have a field of knowledge - you know your thoughts on it despite what everyone else has gone for. The ceremonies are more about recognising someone's impact on the population at large.

[dime3]

The reasoning behind that is quite straightforward. It's down to the sheer number of people who've got interested in F1 through hearing about him - I believe that for much of this season the viewing figures were twice or three times what they were last year in the UK. The number of people mentioning motorsport to me at work has gone through the roof. Yes, they're 'glory supporters', and highly aided by the mainstream media, but they are at least taking an interest. For all their brilliant efforts and well-deserved titles, JT and Andy Priaulx haven't been responsible for anyone I know turning on a TV to watch some racing this year, sadly.
Its the sad truth, course its also true that if the Mclaren had been a tub like in '06 then Lewis wouldn't have been noticed and people like JT would be in with a chance...

[The Phantom]

Stoner was nominated in a similar poll here in Oz, and probably should have won it. However it was won by Cadel Evans, who did quite well in various cycling events and championships.

[patnicholls]

That should read FOUR top motorsport Brits - Scotland's Dario Franchitti won the Indy Racing League of course.

Here's an article on how they arrived at the final ten:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/7096040.stm