Superbikes - Ellison's wild World is a sideshow before Knockhill

2:04pm Monday 29th June 2009

By Gazette Sports

KENDAL’S James Ellison was a frustrated figure at round nine of the World Superbikes at Donington Park after failing to reproduce his domestic form on the world stage.

Ellison has enjoyed a superb start to the ViSK British Superbike season, where he sits in second position in the championship standings on 162 points.

The Airwaves Yamaha rider, who was a wild-card entry for the World Superbike round at the weekend at Donington, qualified in 14th position for racing after a below-par first two days.

His form did not improve when it mattered most and he crashed out all-together in race one after just 14 laps, before improving his form to finish in eighth position in race two.

Ellison heads to Knockhill next weekend for round six of the British Superbikes and the 28-year-old admitted he’s hoping for an upturn in fortunes. "I'm really frustrated to be honest,” said Ellison. “The Airwaves Yamaha felt good and it was going exactly where I wanted it.

“The package was absolutely right. The Pirelli qualifying tyres helped to settle the bike but I needed more time on them. I needed to build up to speed and get a better feel for them.

“But the times were really close so we have to be pleased but I just would have wanted some better results to accompany it."

World champion-elect Ben Spies won both races at Donington Park for his ninth and tenth wins of the season to keep up his charge for world supremacy.

Championship leader Noriyuki Haga was third in race one and crashed out in race two as a number of riders struggled to cope with the track and conditions.

But after testing the water at World Superbike level – Ellison is already thinking about his next instalment on the BSB circuit next weekend at Knockhill.

“I’m looking forward to getting on the podium at Knockhill,” added Ellison, who is desperate to break up Airwaves Yamaha team-mate Leon Camier’s recent winning streak, which has seen him clinch the last six race wins. “I need to keep putting pressure on Leon as at the moment he is riding on the crest of a wave so someone needs to end that.

“It will have to come crashing down soon. I am now looking forward to the next races and hopefully we can end Leon's run of wins."

N British Eurosport 2 has live coverage from every round of the 2009 Superbike World Championship. See the action on Sky channel 411 or Virgin Media channel 525. Next race: Brno, Czech Republic on Sunday, July 26 and for SBK updates visit uk.eurosport.yahoo.com