James Ellison (motorcycle racer)

James Ellison
James Ellison signing autographs during the 2009 BSB championship at Snetterton
Nationality	English
Born	19 September 1980 Lancaster, Lancashire
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

James Ellison at the 2005 British motorcycle Grand Prix

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

1. Bennetts News, racing Retrieved 26 November 2013
2. "Profiles > James Ellison". Crash.net. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
3. "James Ellison's MotoGP column – 06/09/06". bbc.co.uk. 6 September 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
4. "James Ellison's MotoGP column – 15/08/06". bbc.co.uk. 15 August 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
5. "Briton Ellison dropped by Tech 3 – 31/10/06". bbc.co.uk. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2006.
6. "Interview with James Ellison". SuperbikePlanet.com. Retrieved 13 December 2006.
7. "James Ellison back in British Superbikes". SuperbikePlanet.com. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
8. "Byrne bounces back for double". Crash.net. Retrieved 23 May 2008.
9. "Ellison confirms Hydrex Honda departure". Insidebikes. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
10. "GSE confirm Ellison to replace Byrne". Insidebikes. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
11. "GSE Racing Quit BSB". Insidebikes. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
12. "Ellison secures ride with Swan Honda". Insidebikes. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

External links

• Official website,
• Moto Gp Profile
• Crash.net Profile