American Electrifies the Rotax Max Euro Trophy
Fifteen year old, all-electric racer Ellis Spiezia keeps stacking up firsts, becoming Vice Champion of the first-ever Project E20 Euro Trophy in Wackersdorf, Germany. The 'electric renegade,' as he's been aptly named, has made leaps and bounds in only his second competitive season, bringing advocacy and attention to electric motorsport.
WACKERSDORF, Germany, Sep. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Leading up to this weekend's final round of the Rotax Max Euro Trophy, American driver Ellis Spiezia was sending shockwaves through the competitive karting world. The 15 year old, all-electric racer readied himself for the final of the two-round series in Wackersdorf after an impressive win in Mulsen in July, putting him on the podium for the very first time in his nascent career. In only his second competitive karting season, Ellis held second place in the championship with 35 points. He came into the weekend prepared for anything and was presented with almost every obstacle to overcome.
The American considers Wackersdorf his 'home track' in Europe, where he's put down more laps than any of the ten tracks he's driven Rotax's Project E20 kart on. 'It was amazing to return to Wackersdorf. I was excited to finish out the Euro at a track that I feel confident on. In the third practice on Friday I injured my ribs after a mistake in the chicane. I had never experienced this before, and underestimated the impact it would have on my qualifier Friday afternoon.'
A painful qualifying session slowed his pace and left him starting P9 for each of the three heats on Saturday, but this hard charger is used to fighting uphill battles. 'Going into the heats I knew the races were short and I needed to make up as many places as possible while avoiding penalties. The heats are all about patience. I knew other drivers would be anxious and so making the right moves at the right times was critical to moving up the pack.' Confident and measured efforts earned him a P7 start in the first final but Ellis was crashed out midway through the race, nearly ending his championship aims. 'As soon as I crashed I thought I had thrown away the entire championship. I didn't know I would still accrue points for that race and my ribs felt worse than ever. You just sit in the grass and wait for the race to be over thinking about what has just happened to all the effort you've put in for months.'
Now starting dead last on the grid for the final race, Ellis made calculated and strategic moves, cinching a P4 finish. Points for the day had him miss the individual event podium, but crowned him Vice European Champion of the inaugural season of the Project E20 at the Rotax Max Euro Trophy. 'To be a part of this historic first season with the Project E20 has been an honor. Given all the obstacles this race weekend presented, I'm proud of the outcome, and have put in a lot of effort to achieve big gains since last season. Being able to grow with a series, contribute to their success and represent them positively is a privilege.'
Electric is the future, for performance and the planet.
With a start in indoor karting and sim racing, Ellis began his journey into competitive racing at 13 years old. Just two years later, he's competing on the international stage with Rotax as an advocate and athlete committed to electric motorsport. 'Electric motorsport provided me a way to enter the sport competitively and to learn and race against top European drivers. The performance is incredible, the cost is reasonable and the parity of the karts makes it all about what the driver is capable of.'
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About Ellis Spiezia
There's more than one route to the finish line…
Ellis Spiezia is a 15 year old American electric racing driver, currently competing in four international electric karting series in Europe. Coming of age on and off the track, and in the wake of a global pandemic, Ellis and his filmmaking family embarked on a unique journey in 2020, leaving their home in Hoboken, New Jersey and hitting the road to kickstart his competitive career.
After competing in regional and national indoor karting championships in the US, Ellis made the giant leap to race in Spain's Play & Drive Championship and then the third season of the DEKM in Germany. Electric motorsport became the unique and accessible entry point into the sport given the parity of the materials, the cost, and his family's lack of experience in racing. The performance spoke for itself.
Finishing 10th out of 11 drivers in the DEKM in 2020, Ellis committed to come back for more. In 2021, he has leveled up in all areas, competing in all available electric series, advising and testing karts in development and creating a name for himself as the 'Electric Renegade.' He is the first American to race in any international electric karting series and the first in the world to have raced them all. He is currently 5th in the DEKM standings and Vice Champion of the E20 Euro Trophy. The outcomes of the Blue Shock and Play & Drive championships are yet to be decided.
As he moves into 2022, Ellis looks forward to more 'firsts,' taking the next step in his career to participate in the inaugural season of ERA Championship's junior electric formula series. Focused on sustainability, alternative education and the future of racing, Ellis's passion for this new era in motorsport has empowered him to become an advocate, an expert and a proven threat on and off the track.
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Information, Media & Photography
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To access high-resolution images & videos of Ellis Spiezia, please visit http://www.ellysium.co for for more information
Media: ©Films by Francesco
Media Contact
Michele Spiezia, Ellysium Racing, +1 (347) 445-2650, [email protected]
SOURCE Ellysium Racing
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