Ellison gives it one more go
This year was supposed to be his British Superbike swansong, but after a disappointing season James Ellison will return to the series next year in one last effort to clinch the coveted crown. The Cumbrian will join forces with Peter Hickman in the Smiths Racing effort to race the all-new BMW S1000RR as he looks to return to the sharp end after a challenging season with TAG Yamaha. “When I said that 2018 would be my last year, I was expecting a
‘I didn’t want to be remembered for running around mid-pack’
proper title challenge,” Ellison told MCN. “That’s what I expected and that’s what the TAG Yamaha team expected too, but things didn’t seem to click for us after round one and we couldn’t get any grip out of the bike. “I didn’t want to be remembered as someone who runs around midpack, so I decided if I could find the right deal I’d come back for another year. I really like the look of the new BMW, it seems that the bike isn’t as aggressive as the old one and I think it’ll suit me. It’s important to be joining Hicky. He wants someone that he can work with to develop the bike while also pushing him on track.”