Double Ulster champion Christian Elkin says chance to race for Bell Bikesport Racing in 2026 was a 'godsend'
Double Ulster champion Christian Elkin couldn’t have hoped for better year after joining Bell Bikesport/B&W Racing for 2026 and winning the Supersport and Supertwin titles.
Former two-time British 125cc champion Elkin clinched the Supersport crown for the first time since 2011 at the 50th anniversary Enkalon Trophy meeting at Bishopscourt and retained the Supertwin title at the David Wood Trophy meeting at the Co Down circuit over the weekend.
In a dream season for the team, Lisburn’s Carl Phillips won the Ulster Superbike title and Francesco Faraldo sealed the Supersport Cup championship.
Elkin described the opportunity to ride Ducati Panigale V2 Supersport and Aprilia RS600 machinery for the team as a “godsend” and is now looking forward to racing as a wildcard again at the final round of the British Supersport Championship at Brands Hatch in October, one week before the Sunflower Trophy season finale back at Bishopscourt.
“The twin has just been faultless all year, we built it at the start of the year and it’s been amazing,” said Elkin, whose victory and two runner-up finishes in the Supertwin races gave him an unassailable lead of 119 points over Dean McMaster ahead of the final round.
“I did my fastest ever lap around here [Bishopscourt] on a twin, broke the lap record at Kirkistown and won the championship, so its’s been a successful year.
“I joined a really great team and everybody just supports everybody, and everyone’s doing well, which eggs you on.
“So it encourages you in every way, from riding to training, and having the support of Stuart [Bell] and the team is fantastic – it’s been a godsend for me.
“We’re definitely running a twin again next year and I think we’ll be together again next year, which I’m really chuffed about because everything seems to be working really well in the team,” Elkin added.
“We’re getting an opportunity to go back to BSB at Brands Hatch as well and I’m super excited about that, so the support from the team has been incredible.”
The Ducati V2 was hit with a power reduction this year but Elkin shrugged off the change, even if he was struggling against the outright speed of Supersport hat-trick winner Adam Browne’s Yamaha R9 at the weekend.
“My times on the Ducati aren’t just as fast as they were earlier in the year but in saying that, the Ducati has had a power cut and we’ve lost six per cent off the throttle,” he explained.
“You can definitely feel the difference around here against the likes of a [Suzuki] GSX-R750 or a [Yamaha] R9 – they’ve definitely got the legs on the Ducati but the Ducati has got loads of other positives, so it’s swings and roundabouts and it makes it exciting.
“Going to Brands the week before the Sunflower should help and the cards have landed good for us this year, we’ve rode well and we’ve been lucky – you need a bit of luck in racing, don’t you?”