James Ellison (motorcycle racer)
James Ellison | |
---|---|
James Ellison signing autographs during the 2009 BSB championship at Snetterton | |
Nationality | English |
Born |
Lancaster, Lancashire | 19 September 1980
Current team | McAMS Yamaha |
Bike number | 77 |
Website | www.jamesellison.co.uk |
James Desmond Ellison (born 19 September 1980 in Lancaster) is an English motorcycle racer. In 2017, he wil compete British Superbike Championship series, aboard a Yamaha YZF-R1.
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.[1]
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.
Early years
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 2005–2006
In 2005, he scored seven points whilst riding an underpowered bike,[2] but impressed with his attitude and ability.[2]
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,[3] and that his bike lacked a chassis modification to cure chatter, which the three other Yamaha riders had been riding.[4]
AMA 2007
Ellison's contract with Tech 3 Yamaha was not renewed for following season.[5] 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.[6]
British Superbike championship 2008–2010
Ellison returned to British Superbikes for 2008, with the Hydrex Bike Animal team[7] He took his first ever BSB podium in race 2 of round 2 at Oulton Park.[8] 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,[9] 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.[10] 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,[11] 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.[12] Ellison's season was closely documented in the film I, Superbiker.
Personal life
During his time in AMA, while attending Texan Ben Spies' birthday party, James met Dallas-area native & Texas Tech University graduate Sarah. The couple married at The Venetian Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, in January 2009. Their first child Ryder Jace Ellison (a boy) was born 20 November 2013.
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
−3rd in European Superstocks
−4th place Suzuka 8hr (1st in class)
-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
Series | Years active | Races | Poles | Podiums | Wins | 2nd place | 3rd place | Fast Laps | Titles | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
British Superbike (BSB) | 2008–2011 | 80 | 0 | 25 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 0 | ||
World Superbike (SBK) | 2004, 2008, 2009 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Moto GP | 2004–06, 2012 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
World Supersport | 2011 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Supersport World Championship
Races by year
Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos. | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | Honda | RSA | GBR | SPA | ITA | GER | SMR | USA Ret |
EUR | AUT | NED | GER | NC | 0 | |
2000 | Honda | AUS | JPN | GBR | ITA | GER | SMR | SPA | EUR 23 |
NED 15 |
GER 11 |
GBR | 33rd | 6 | |
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 |
20th | 20 |
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 |
7th | 99 |
Superbike World Championship
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pos. | Pts | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | ||||
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 | 19th | 30 | ||||||
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 | 25th | 19 |
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 | 31st | 8 |
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Class | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Pos | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
26th | 3 | ||
2005 | MotoGP | Blata | 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 |
23rd | 7 | |
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 |
18th | 26 | |
2012 | MotoGP | ART | QAT 18 |
SPA Ret |
POR Ret |
FRA 11 |
CAT 16 |
GBR 14 |
NED 14 |
GER 15 |
ITA 14 |
USA Ret |
IND 15 |
CZE 15 |
RSM 13 |
ARA 14 |
JPN 14 |
MAL 9 |
AUS Ret |
VAL 9 |
16th | 35 |
References
- ↑ Bennetts News, racing Retrieved 26 November 2013
- 1 2 "Profiles > James Ellison". Crash.net. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
- ↑ "James Ellison's MotoGP column – 06/09/06". bbc.co.uk. 6 September 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
- ↑ "James Ellison's MotoGP column – 15/08/06". bbc.co.uk. 15 August 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
- ↑ "Briton Ellison dropped by Tech 3 – 31/10/06". bbc.co.uk. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2006.
- ↑ "Interview with James Ellison". SuperbikePlanet.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2007. Retrieved 13 December 2006.
- ↑ "James Ellison back in British Superbikes". SuperbikePlanet.com. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
- ↑ "Byrne bounces back for double". Crash.net. Retrieved 23 May 2008.
- ↑ "Ellison confirms Hydrex Honda departure". Insidebikes. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ↑ "GSE confirm Ellison to replace Byrne". Insidebikes. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
- ↑ "GSE Racing Quit BSB". Insidebikes. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
- ↑ "Ellison secures ride with Swan Honda". Insidebikes. Retrieved 8 February 2010.