Josh Elliott
Full Name – James Joshua Elliott– known as 'Josh'
15 years D.O.B – 9th May 1994 (Turns 16 in May 2010)
Brief Biking History
Born into a racing family, Josh has been on Quads since Two and a half years and bikes since Three and a half. (1st bike like so many kids was a PW50 Yamaha!) Started Mini Motos in May 2003 and won 5 Irish titles (including 2 doubles) up until the end of 2006 with wins in Spain and the UK mainland on his few visits there. Started big bike racing on an Aprilia RS 125 in May 2007 after his 13th birthday, where he got pole, fastest laps and a win that day! After dominating the next 2 meetings he moved to GP125s, competing in 3 meetings in Ireland. Podiums in the first 2 led to a double win in the 3rd meeting and a new clubman 125 lap record. Having been selected for the 2008 Red Bull Rookies Moto GP cup in late 2007 at test events at Sachsenring and Paul Ricard, Josh competed at nine more new European tracks in the series. Despite being plagued by mechanical problems in 5 of his 10 races he saw the experience as very much a learning year. He learned very quickly how tough it is to be thrust into the limelight with virtually no prior experience. Home form was a complete contrast as he competed in only 10 out of 19 clubman 125 races winning 8 of them, collecting 2nd overall in the championship. Two wins in the National class being the youngest ever winner at 14years was the icing on the cake.
2009
Josh as a 14 year old, joined the 'Jeremy McWilliams Superbike Academy' team ran by 'Racedays Promotions' Gerry Bryce in the German IDM Supersport 600 class for 2009. Given a special dispensation to ride just before his 15th birthday by the German authorities gave him a chance he grabbed with both hands. Being mentored by ex Moto GP star 'McWill' saw Josh quickly develop into a UK/Irish top 15 year old 600 rider with a double podium at Nurburgring in May against some ex world Supersport stars. His Rookies experience on European tracks was now paying off in a team with good set up, and he learned another 6 top tracks in the process. Despite a mid season injury and missing 2 rounds, Josh managed 13th in the series. He finished off the 2009 season at Almeria in Spain where he tested the FTR Moto 2 bike alongside McWilliams, Eugene Laverty, Gino Rea and Scott Redding to name a few. He got to grips with it very quickly and posted impressive times in one short run. That has whetted his appetite for the world stage and Josh now sees Moto 2 project as an exciting goal for the future along with World Supersport.
2010 plans
Josh asked but was declined permission to compete in Britain until after his 16th birthday on 9th May. (Silly rule really given the rest of Europe permit it). His Racedays team suggested he give some consideration to the European Stock 600 class that his friend Gino Rea won last year. Like so many in the sport today, finding the required funding is Josh's biggest challenge, so it was with a mighty squeeze, and help from Racedays' Gerry Bryce a few loyal sponsors and his family, he ended up tasting life in the European Stock 6 rounds in the WSBK paddock! Josh is so thankful to long term family friend and racing supporter, John O'Neill from Belfast who has helped Josh since 2008 and previously sponsored his Dad Julian when he raced. Also, Dublin business man Pat Duke of EMS has kept a close eye on young Irish talent having guided Eugene Laverty to world class status and is helping out this year. He hopes to be in a position to help more as the year progresses. The team however are still looking for a title sponsor.
2010 Pre-season test Almeria
Almeria was the only pre-season test Josh managed at the Racedays Superbike Academy Three day event just Two weeks before the first 'Stock 6' round at Portimao. He has had to adjust to the Pirelli tyres after racing his first 600 season on Dunlop in Germany. Josh enjoyed the opportunity to test alongside top British Supersport 600 championship contenders Billy McConnell and James Westmoreland, who will line up again this year with fellow Fermanagh star Lee Johnston. Although he hadn’t the speed on the straights of the bikes from superior classes, he was able to measure his performance through a large twisty section of the track, and was willing to learn from those and other top riders.
The challenge ahead
Josh sees the Stock 600 class as another massive challenge and rates many good riders in it. Some that have been there for a few seasons and others like his former rookie colleagues French men Florian Marino and Nelson Major. Josh only has knowledge of five out of the ten tracks and without a testing budget will have to just try his best at the new ones. He is naturally delighted to have spent a year with Jeremy McWilliams who has taught him a lot but to have fellow countrymen Eugene Laverty and Jonathan Rea in the same paddock is fantastic. Both Leon Haslam and Gino Rea know Josh well too, have instructed for the 'Academy' in the recent past so have offered their help also.