James Ellison (motorcyclist)

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James Ellison
James Ellison Airwaves Yamaha Team 2009 BSB.jpg
Ellison signing autographs during the 2009 BSB championship at Snetterton
NationalityEnglish
Born (1980-09-19) 19 September 1980 (age 43)
Lancaster, Lancashire, England

James Desmond Ellison (born 19 September 1980) is an English motorcycle racer. After two seasons (2017 with McCams and 2018 with Tag) on a Yamaha R1, [1] Ellison expected to retire at the end of 2018, but in 2019 again competed in the British Superbike Championship series aboard a BMW S1000RR, [2] before parting company with his team half-way through the season in August. [3] He then joined another British Superbike team for the remainder of the 2019 season, starting from the September event at Oulton Park, on the ex-Danny Kent machine, previously an ex-Leon Camier 2016 MV Agusta F4. [4]

Contents

After racing during 2013 with Milwaukee Yamaha run by Shaun Muir Racing in British Superbikes, for 2014 Ellison joined Lloyds British GBmoto team, and rode a Kawasaki ZX-10R alongside veteran Chris Walker. [5]

Ellison is a double European Superstock champion, World Endurance champion and has previously participated in World Supersport, MotoGP, and the American AMA Superbike series. His brother Dean is a former motorcycle racer.

Career

Early career

Ellison started racing motorcycles at the age of 15, riding 80 cc machines. After racing in junior championships such as Superteen, he entered the European Superstock series in 1999, winning the title in 2000 and 2001. In 2002, he raced in the Supersport World Championship, before winning the Endurance World Championship in 2003.

British Superbike Championship (2004)

For 2004, Ellison switched to the British Superbike Championship. He rode a Yamaha YZF-R1 for the privateer Jentin team. He finished 11th overall, and won the privateer cup for independent riders. As well as the British Superbike Championship season, he received two wild-card entries in the Superbike World Championship, at Silverstone and Brands Hatch. Notably, Ellison finished fifth in the second of two races at Brands Hatch.

Towards the end of 2004, Ellison was asked to race for the WCM MotoGP team after their regular rider, Chris Burns, was injured. He finished 13th at Qatar, and the team signed him for the full 2005 season.

MotoGP World Championship (2005–2006)

James Ellison at the 2005 British motorcycle Grand Prix James Ellison on Blata WCM 2005 Donington.jpg
James Ellison at the 2005 British motorcycle Grand Prix

In 2005, he scored seven points whilst riding an underpowered bike, [6] but impressed with his attitude and ability. [6]

For 2006 he switched to the Tech 3 Yamaha team. At Philip Island he made history as the first rider to switch bikes mid-race, onto a bike with wet weather tyres. He later finished 16th and out of the points-scoring positions. He said that he was "disappointed" with the balance of the Yamaha M1 bike that season, [7] and that his bike lacked a chassis modification to cure chatter, which the three other Yamaha riders had been riding. [8]

AMA Superbike Championship (2007)

Ellison's contract with Tech 3 Yamaha was not renewed for following season. [9] He then made the move across the pond and raced in AMA Superbike in the United States for the Corona Honda team in 2007. He had a best finish of 5th at the wet Daytona circuit, in what was a difficult season in the AMA. [10]

Return to British Superbike

Ellison returned to British Superbikes for 2008, with the Hydrex Bike Animal team [11] He took his first ever BSB podium in race 2 of round 2 at Oulton Park. [12] After finishing the season with a podium finish at Brands Hatch on 12 October 2008, Ellison announced that he would be leaving the Hydrex Bike Animal team, [13] and three days later, it was announced that Ellison has signed a contract with GSE Racing to ride their Yamaha YZF-R1 for the 2009 season. [14] He took his first career win in round 3 of the series at Donington Park.

At the end of 2009, the title sponsor of GSE Racing, Wrigleys UK, opted not renew their backing of the team. After failing to find an alternative backer, GSE Racing pulled out of the championship, [15] leaving Ellison without a ride for the 2010 British Superbike Championship. On 7 February, Ellison confirmed that he had agreed a contract with the Swan Honda team to ride in the 2010 championship. [16] Ellison's season was closely documented in the film I, Superbiker .

The 2010 started promising when Ellison scored a win and a podium at the first two races at Brands Hatch, but he crashed and injured during the next round, missing the next three rounds. He won another race and finished the season in seventh place, missing the qualifying for the Showdown just for points.

In 2011, Ellison with an Honda, raced part-time the championship and finished the season in 16th place, scoring a podium.

In 2013, Ellison raced with a Yamaha and finished the season in a strong fourth place, scoring 589 points, 54 less than Champion Alex Lowes, and winning three races.

In 2014, Ellison joined Kawasaki and suffered an injury mid-season and he was forced to withdraw almost half of the season. He was anyway classified in 8th place and he scored some podiums also.

In 2015, Ellison finished in third place, scoring 614 points and winning three races with the Kawasaki, 89 points less than Series Champion Josh Brookes.

In 2016, Ellison finished the championship once again in third place, with 610 points, 59 less than champion Shane Byrne. He won the last two races at the season finale at Brands Hatch.

In 2017, Ellison finished the British Superbike Championship in ninth place, scoring 139 points, winning a race.

Retirement and managerial career

During 2018, Ellison rode with Anvil Hire Yamaha, intending to retire from competition at season-end, but signed with Smiths BMW Racing for 2019. [17] After the Thruxton event in August it was announced they would part ways, after disappointing results with a total score of 23 points. [3] He then joined another British Superbike team for the remainder of the 2019 season, starting from the September event at Oulton Park, on the ex-Danny Kent machine, previously an ex-Leon Camier 2016 MV Agusta F4. Kent had been sacked in August, with Gino Rea riding the same machine as a temporary replacement for one meeting at Cadwell Park. [4]

In December 2021, Ellison was announced as team manager for Powerslide Catfoss Racing together with Hawk Racing in the British Superbike 2022 season. [18]

Career statistics

1996– 125 Clubman's Champion

1998– CB 500 Champion

2000– European Superstock Champion – Honda

2001– European Superstock Champion – Suzuki

2003– World Endurance Champion

2003– 3rd in European Superstock

2003– 4th place Suzuka 8hr (1st in class)

2003– Cumbria Sports Personality of the year

2004– BSB Privateer's Champion

2009– BSB Championship 2nd

2010– BSB Rider's Cup Champion

2011– WSS Championship 7th

2012– MotoGP Championship 16th (4th CRT)

All-time statistics

SeriesYears activeRacesPolesPodiumsWins2nd place3rd placeFastest LapsTitles
British Superbike (BSB)2008–2011, 2013–2017198467152527230
World Superbike (SBK)2004, 2008, 200980000010
MotoGP 2004–2006, 2012570000000
World Supersport (SS)2011120201120

Supersport World Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearBike123456789101112PosPts
1999 Honda RSA GBR SPA ITA GER SMR USA
Ret		 EUR AUT NED GER NC0
2000 Honda AUS JPN GBR ITA GER SMR SPA EUR
23		 NED
15		 GER
11		 GBR 33rd6
2002 Kawasaki SPA
15		 AUS
15		 RSA
Ret		 JPN
13		 ITA
Ret		 GBR
Ret		 GER
Ret		 SMR
17		 GBR
13		 GER
9		 NED
16		 ITA
11		20th20
2011 Honda AUS
6		 EUR
Ret		 NED
7		 ITA
16		 SMR
7		 SPA
Ret		 CZE
8		 GBR
10		 GER
2		 ITA
6		 FRA
5		 POR
3		7th99

Superbike World Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearBike1234567891011121314PosPts
R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2
2004 Yamaha SPA SPA AUS AUS SMR SMR ITA ITA GER GER GBR
Ret		 GBR
7		 USA USA EUR
6		 EUR
5		 NED NED ITA ITA FRA FRA 19th30
2008 Honda QAT QAT AUS AUS SPA SPA NED NED ITA ITA USA USA GER GER SMR SMR CZE CZE GBR GBR EUR
10		 EUR
4		 ITA ITA FRA FRA POR POR 25th19
2009 Yamaha AUS AUS QAT QAT SPA SPA NED NED ITA ITA RSA RSA USA USA SMR SMR GBR
Ret		 GBR
8		 CZE CZE GER GER ITA ITA FRA FRA POR POR 31st8

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearClassBike123456789101112131415161718PosPts
2004 MotoGP Harris WCM RSA ESP FRA ITA CAT NED BRA GER GBR CZE
Ret		 POR
16		 JPN QAT
13		 MAL
18		 AUS
22		 VAL
19		26th3
2005 MotoGPBlata SPA
16		 POR
15		 CHN
13		 FRA
Ret		 ITA
Ret		 CAT
18		 NED
19		 USA
16		 GBR
Ret		 GER
Ret		 CZE
19		 JPN
DNS		 MAL
Ret		 QAT
15		 AUS
14		 TUR
18		 VAL
Ret		23rd7
2006 MotoGP Yamaha SPA
16		 QAT
13		 TUR
18		 CHN
16		 FRA
14		 ITA
16		 CAT
9		 NED
Ret		 GBR
14		 GER
13		 USA
13		 CZE
17		 MAL
16		 AUS
16		 JPN
15		 POR
13		 VAL
14		18th26
2012 MotoGP ART QAT
18		 SPA
Ret		 POR
Ret		 FRA
11		 CAT
16		 GBR
14		 NED
14		 GER
15		 ITA
14		 USA
Ret		 INP
15		 CZE
15		 RSM
13		 ARA
14		 JPN
14		 MAL
9		 AUS
Ret		 VAL
9		16th35

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References

  1. ↑ BSB: Ellison confirmed at TAG Yamaha for final year in BSB Motorcycle News , 24 October 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2019
  2. ↑ BSB: James Ellison Why I'm coming back for another year in BSB Motorcycle News , 27 November 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2019
  3. 1 2 Struggling James Ellison exits Smiths BMW visordown, 5 August 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019
  4. 1 2 Ellison joins Bike Devil MV Agusta for remainder of 2019 bikesportnews, 3 September 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2019
  5. ↑ Bennetts News, racing Retrieved 26 November 2013
  6. 1 2 "Profiles > James Ellison". Crash.net. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
  7. ↑ "James Ellison's MotoGP column – 06/09/06". bbc.co.uk. 6 September 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
  8. ↑ "James Ellison's MotoGP column – 15/08/06". bbc.co.uk. 15 August 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
  9. ↑ "Briton Ellison dropped by Tech 3 – 31/10/06". bbc.co.uk. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2006.
  10. ↑ "Interview with James Ellison". SuperbikePlanet.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2007. Retrieved 13 December 2006.
  11. ↑ "James Ellison back in British Superbikes". SuperbikePlanet.com. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
  12. ↑ "Byrne bounces back for double". Crash.net. Retrieved 23 May 2008.
  13. ↑ "Ellison confirms Hydrex Honda departure". Insidebikes. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  14. ↑ "GSE confirm Ellison to replace Byrne". Insidebikes. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
  15. ↑ "GSE Racing Quit BSB". Insidebikes. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  16. ↑ "Ellison secures ride with Swan Honda". Insidebikes. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  17. ↑ Ellison stays in BSB with Smiths BMW switch visordown, 24 November 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2019
  18. ↑ Barstow, Ollie (12 December 2021). "James Ellison, Hawk Racing join Powerslide Catfoss Suzuki set-up for 2022 BSB". Visor Down.
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