SUPERBIKE star James Ellison endured a mixed weekend at Brands Hatch with a podium in race one before having to retire in race two.

On board the JG Speedfit Kawasaki, Ellison, from Kendal, looked on good form all weekend at round three of the MCE British Superbike Championship.

Having qualified on the front row and missing out on pole position by just 0.028s, Ellison ran at the front of the pack for the majority of the race in a near carbon copy of the 2015 event and looked set for the win.

Teammate Leon Haslam, however, began moving his way up the field having been in sixth for the first half of the race.

Starting the final lap in third, Haslam fought through and followed Ellison into the final corner and drafted past him at the line to claim his second win of the season.

Although Ellison was pipped to the top of the podium by 0.057s, the result did secure a first ever one-two finish for the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team.

In race two Ellison again started from the front row and a strong start had the race poised to be a repeat of the first.

But disaster struck on lap 15 when Ellison, leading the race, had to retire because of an electric fault.

“I honestly don’t know what to say," said a disappointed Ellison.

"That first race was good and I felt strong so to just miss out like that is gutting – but it’s great to see the team up here claiming our first one-two and it shows the strength of the package we have.

"In the second race, I was feeling good again and although it was closer at the front I thought we could win but an electrical fault robbed us of the chance.

"It’s a long championship though and we’ve now got a setting with the bike that I feel real comfortable with. We know what we’re capable of so we’ll regroup and come out ready to challenge for further podiums at Knockhill.”