Jimmy Broadbent

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This article is about the racing driver. For the actor, see Jim Broadbent.
Jimmy Broadbent
J2Praga.png
Broadbent driving a Praga R1 at Brands Hatch
Born (1991-06-13) 13 June 1991 (age 31)
Hastings, United Kingdom[1]
NationalityUnited Kingdom British
OccupationRacing driver, YouTuber, streamer and commentator
YouTube information
Channel
Genre
Subscribers840,000+[2][3]
Total views244 million+[3]
Last updated: 13 October 2022

James Alan "Jimmy" or "Jimmer" Broadbent is an English racing driver, content creator, sim racer and e-sports commentator.

Broadbent's YouTube channel Jimmy Broadbent has over 840,000 subscribers and is mainly about gaming, sim racing and his real life racing. He drives the Praga R1 for Praga in the Praga Cup alongside Gordie Mutch.[4] He also commentates for Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo series.[5]

Broadbent's popularity has been partially attributed to his modest background, having lived in a shed in his mother's garden for a long period of time, and his honesty with personal struggles, both traits in stark contrast with the trend of internet celebrities portraying an artificial idyllic life.[6]

YouTube career[]

Broadbent began to create content for YouTube in 2012.[7] He reached 10,000 subscribers in 2017;[1] by 2018, he had around 86,000 subscribers. He was temporarily banned by YouTube between 14 and 15 April the same year by accident.[8]

On 4 June 2018, Broadbent reached 100,000 subscribers on YouTube.[9] In November of 2020, Jimmy raised over £71,000 for Mind in memory of his father, Alan Broadbent.[10] By the end of the year, he had over 600,000 subscribers.[11]

Commentary role[]

Broadbent was invited by Polyphony Digital, the creators of the Gran Turismo video game series, to work as a commentator on their FIA-Certified Gran Turismo Championships.[5]

Sim racing[]

Broadbent alongside fellow YouTubers, Streamers and sim racers like Stephen J Bailey are part of . In 2019 Broadbent and Bailey alongside Adam David Hodgkinson and Nathanael Lupson won the 2019 iRacing 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual in the Audi R18 2016.[12]

Broadbent took part in the 2020 Formula 1 Bahrain Virtual Grand Prix.[13] During the race Broadbent and Lando Norris were in a battle for fourth place, with the former prevailing.[14]

Broadbent took part in the 2020 Virtual Le Mans 24 Hours.[15] Broadbent returned to the event in 2022.[16]

Motor racing[]

Broadbent competing in the Club Time Attack Championship in the Pocket Rocket Class.

In 2021 Praga enlisted Broadbent to take part in the 2021 Britcar Championship.[4] He drove alongside Jem Hepworth and later alongside Gordie Mutch. Mutch and Broadbent won both races at Donington Park that year.[17]

In March 2022, he founded Team87.[2]

Britcar[]

Britcar racing career of Jimmy Broadbent[18]
Season Team Races Wins Poles F/laps Podiums Points Position
2021 Team J2 Praga 9 2 0 0 2 171 5th

Praga Cup[]

In 2022 Broadbent re-signed with Praga for the manufacturer's one make series known as the Praga Cup.[19][2] He will drive alongside Gordie Mutch.[20]

Personal life[]

Broadbent's father Alan Broadbent committed suicide when Jimmy was only 13 years old after struggling from alcoholism and depression.[21]

In an interview with DriveTribe in 2020 Broadbent told that around 2014 he "lost everything" due to depression and other mental health issues, especially regarding sociability. He lost his job, his house and his fiancée broke up with him. He stated that he had struggled and still struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts.

With nowhere to live, he moved to a shed in his mother's house's garden. He stayed there and also produced content from there. The shed eventually became an inside joke of Broadbent and his YouTube community.[22] In 2021, Broadbent bought his own house and currently lives there.[23]

Racing record[]

Racing career summary[]

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2021 Britcar Endurance Championship - Praga Team J2 Praga 9 2 0 0 2 171 5th
2022 Praga Cup Fanatec Praga Team87 8 3 2 3 5 182* 1st*

* Season still in progress.

Complete Britcar results[]

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC CP Points
2021 Team J2 Praga Praga R1 (Mk5) Praga SIL1
1
6 		SIL1
2
8 		SNE
1
Ret 		SNE
2
10 		OUL
1
23 		OUL
2
12 		SIL2
1
6 		BRH
1
C 		BRH
2
C 		DON
1
1 		DON
2
1 		5th 5th 171

Complete Praga Cup results[]

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points
2022 Fanatec Praga Team87 Praga R1 (Mk5) SIL1
1
4 		SIL1
2
9 		OUL
1
2 		SNE
1
DSQ 		SNE
2
1 		SIL2
1
6 		SIL2
1
1 		DON1
1
1 		DON1
2
4 		DON2
1
 DON2
2
 1st* 202*

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Culmer, Kris (29 May 2021). "How Jimmy Broadbent is swapping sim racing for real motorsport". autocar.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c Harrison-Lord, Thomas (5 June 2022). "The sim racing star shining the spotlight on national motorsport". Autosport. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "About Jimmy Broadbent". YouTube.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "Sim racing star Jimmy Broadbent joins Praga for real-world 2021 Britcar campaign". pragaofficial.com. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Channell, Mike (29 November 2019). "How Gran Turismo gets esports right". topgear.com. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  6. ^ Krustofski, Nana (24 September 2020). "Jimmy Broadbent: How YouTube Transformed His Life". Overtake. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  7. ^ Krustofski, Nana (24 September 2020). "Jimmy Broadbent: how YouTube transformed his life". overtake.gg. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  8. ^ Priday, Richard (16 May 2018). "YouTube's algorithm is causing havoc for gaming livestreamers". Wired UK. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  9. ^ Mukans, Sandis (3 June 2020). "Jimmy Broadbent's PC Specs & Sim Racing Equipment". streamerwiz.com. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  10. ^ Riekes, Alina (10 December 2020). "Jimmy Broadbent hosted his second Race for Mental Health". overtake.gg. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  11. ^ Riekes, Alina (30 December 2020). "Jimmy Broadbent is OverTake's Hero of the Month for December". overtake.gg. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  12. ^ Our Biggest Sim Racing Achievement | 24 Hours Of Le Mans Highlights, retrieved 2022-02-23
  13. ^ "RACE HIGHLIGHTS: Guanyu Zhou takes victory in a thrilling Bahrain Virtual Grand Prix". formula1.com. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  14. ^ Leporati, Gregory (23 April 2020). "Virtual races are drawing millions of viewers. Sim racers and streamers are seizing the moment". The Washington Post. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  15. ^ Broadbent, Jimmy (29 May 2021). "How Jimmy Broadbent is swapping sim racing for real motorsport". Autocar. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  16. ^ Melillo, Justin (14 January 2022). "Jimmy Broadbent joins 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual". Traxion. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  17. ^ "DONINGTON PARK DELIGHT FOR SEVERAL BARC CHAMPIONSHIPS".
  18. ^ "Jimmy Broadbent | Racing career profile". driverdb.com. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  19. ^ Taylor, James (22 December 2021). "Praga R1 (2022) review: perfectly formed". CAR. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  20. ^ "Global sim-racing superstar Jimmy Broadbent returns with Praga for 2022 | PRAGA". Praga Global. 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
  21. ^ @JimmyBroadbent (17 September 2019). "So...here we go.On the 12th/13 of October i'll be holding a 24 hour endurance charity race to benefit…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ^ Meet the YouTuber who lives in a shed but owns an R32 Skyline GT-R, retrieved 2022-02-22
  23. ^ Jimmy Broadbent has moved out of his shed! – House tour, retrieved 2022-02-22
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