JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison made it on to the third step of the podium, during the opening MCE British Superbike race at Oulton Park and for the Kendal rider the ‘season is starting now’.

The former MotoGP racer could have very easily made it two third place finishes, but in race-two he was narrowly pipped to the post by his team-mate Leon Haslam and Ellison had to settle for fourth.

But it was a solid points haul for him and he bagged an all important podium credit. Ellison is now up to seventh in the overall standings with a 40 points total. Race-one was declared a wet race and Ellison and the rest of the grid opted for full wet tyres, but in race-two in drying conditions he went for the slick options and a fully dry set-up.

“It’s not been an easy day with the weather, but we’ve made a massive step this weekend and to walk away having taken our first podium of the season is really positive,” said Ellison.

“We’ve experienced very different track conditions in pretty much every session, but we were still capable of pushing at the front in all of them so I’m feeling really good on the bike now. We’ve got a couple of weeks until Brands, but I’m really looking forward to it. We had a fantastic weekend there last year so fingers crossed we can replicate it this time.”

Speaking after race-one Ellison added: “The track was drying out completely and we had a full dry line throughout the whole circuit with probably about two or three laps to go and by that point I wished I just used more tyre early on.

“That was my mistake really and not pushing hard enough and once the dry patches started and I got caught out by it so a bit frustrating because we went out for full wet conditions but we have a good dry setting.

“After Silverstone it was a disaster starting from the back of the grid and to start from the front row and to get on the podium here I feel like the season is starting now and the bike is working well and I am really happy.”