Guy Martin

I've been put under 8.5G in a stunt aeroplane. I felt all right. Well, I lost my vision, but I was still conscious.

I feel that I'm in good company behind the wheel of the Williams FW08C. It was the first F1 car to be driven by the great Ayrton Senna, and it won the 1983 Monaco Grand Prix.

I fit a lot into my days.

In my normal life, I am a private person doing a proper job.

I remember, my first season was 1999, and I must have crashed about 13 times in that first year. But then, in the second season, you crash about half as much and then, in the third year, even less again.

I'm not into these mollycoddled sorts of things; I like a bit of danger. I haven't got a death wish, but it makes things exciting, doesn't it?

They don't call it the Wall of Death for nothing. The biggest risk is crashing off the top. That's when it gets really messy.

I was born in Grimsby and always lived around there, but it's died a death because of the loss of the fishing industry.

Speed on its own isn't always so exciting. On a racing motorbike, I can do over 180 mph, which is fast, but not as fast as the airliners that we all climb aboard to fly off on holiday. Modern passenger jets can cruise at between 500 and 600 mph, but sitting in an aeroplane like that for hours on end isn't very exciting, is it?

When I crash during a race and injure myself, what's the point in whinging? Because I put myself in that position. No one's making me race motorbikes - I want to go and race motorbikes. The most annoying thing for me is lying in hospital and not being able to get to work. I get beside myself.

I get home from work at six or seven. When I'm busy, I set my alarm for three, get out of bed at quarter past three. I have a cup of tea and read a magazine and take the dogs for a walk up the lane. Go through my text messages and reply to anything that needs it, then get my biking gear on ready to cycle to work.

Some riders believe in all the hype at the TT; have a successful week, give up work then go and buy motorhomes and cars. I like to get back to normal afterwards and go to work.