James Ellison has promised to give absolutely everything this season as he makes his return to MotoGP with Paul Bird Motorsport. The Briton will ride the CRT bike for the MotoGP newcomers and is keen to make the most of his second chance.
“I’m really excited to be back in Qatar as I love the circuit and it’s even more special that I’m here to be part of MotoGP. Being honest I never thought it possible to get a second chance so of course I am extremely grateful to Paul Bird and the whole PBM UK team for this opportunity and I can promise that I will give no less than 100% in every session and hope that I can repay them in some way. It will be a tough battle for sure with the relative lack of time we’ve had on the bike to date but we are a strong team and I’m sure we’ll fight hard to make up for lost time. One request though: dim the lights please!”
Team Owner Paul Bird admits it will be a special moment when the bike goes out on track today as the Penrith-based squad races as a regular entrant for the first time.
“This is an historic time for us as we embark upon the latest phase of the team’s development in MotoGP and one which we are very excited about. We have raced as wild cards in GPs on many occasions in the past but to be part of the MotoGP elite is very special for us. This year is all about learning for us and James has done a great job with the team so far, but we know we have a very long way to go yet. The idea is to become more competitive as the season progresses and to challenge the front-running CRT bikes.”