Supersport - Ellison hits a flat spot in the Netherfields (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Supersport - Ellison hits a flat spot in the Netherfields

10:16am Thursday 21st April 2011 in Motor sport

THE BID by James Ellison to secure a first podium place in the World Supersport Championship will now centre on Monza in Italy on Sunday, May 8.

The Bogdanka PTR Honda rider had to settle for a disappointing seventh when the Supersport entourage moved to Assen in the Netherlands.

Going into the weekend, Ellison was seeking to erase his retirement, because of clutch problems, in the European race at Donington behind him.

That followed his initial sixth place shortly after knee surgery in the opening round at Philip Island in Australia.

Ellison struggled in Assen to get his bike working to his liking in qualifying, taking 12th spot, and then in the twice-stopped race itself.

His performance seemed to flatten out to finish seventh.

Instead the Polish-based Bogdanka team headlined the achievement of their country-man Pawel Szkopek's 12th place finish - the best-ever by a Polish rider.

Kendal rider Ellison said afterwards: "Every time we got red flagged it went in our favour as we could make some small changes to the bike, get further up the grid, and then gain a few positions at the start.

“The race was going really well until half distance. I had a bit of a problem with the front wheel all weekend and in the end the front tyre was gone - but other than that, the bike had podium potential.

"I was a bit disappointed but we'll get the bike up there where it needs to be at Monza.”

Bogdanka team manager Simon Buckmaster said: James was disappointing in seventh and we struggled to find a good setting all weekend.

"His bike was better for the race and he got into 1m39s but was not able to maintain this level of performance.

s a team we will do our utmost to get James fighting for the podium at Monza."

Ellison now stands in joint seventh in the Championship on 19 points behind leader Luca Scassa on 50 points.

Honda riders did not have a good day overall as Honda Parkalgar’s Sam Lowes suffered concussion and a broken collarbone after being thrown from his bike when fighting for the lead.

The race was red-flagged and Lowes was taken to hospital but his team still expect the talented rider to return for the next round of the series at Monza "Sam high-sided while going for the race lead and broke his collarbone and suffered concussion," said Buckmaster.

"We will be doing all we can with him to make sure he recovers quickly and fully; we expect him to be racing again at Monza. He again showed his undoubted talent and his day will come."

The race was red-flagged again following another crash before Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) took victory ahead of Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda).