Double European Supersport champion and leading British Superbike privateer James Ellison is at last getting noticed by the Formula One teams of motorcycle racing.
Last weekend he was offered a ride at Estoril, Portugal, in a round of the World Moto Grand Prix Championship as a replacement for Team WCM's injured rider Chris Burns.
The Kendal rider was under no illusion that he would end up on the podium along with superstars like Valentino Rossie or Steve Gibernau as his bike was 40bhp down on those of the championship leaders.
In fact he fully expected to be lapped, but in the event he finished 16th out of 24 riders.
Team WCM were so impressed that Ellison was immediately offered a test ride at Bruno, in Czechosolvakia, where he improved lap times on the bike by a full three seconds.
This weekend he returns to Oulton Park needing only a few points to secure the British Privateer Superbike Cup.
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