Mark Eilledge

Sometimes, it’s hard to work out what qualifies someone for a job. But when it comes to SHARK racing and technical manager Mark Eilledge, it’s much easier.

He’s not only spent most of his life riding and racing motorbikes, but he also started out in motorcycling as a technical manager for the Yoshimura UK importer. And now, nearly 30 years on, he’s the top man for SHARK Helmets in the UK, looking after a very successful group of young racers and experienced veterans at BSB and other race meetings.

We spoke to Mark halfway through the 2023 season, and asked him first about his early years in the trade – starting out on four wheels rather than two. “I was a technician for a Ford RallySport dealer, so I did 20 years in the motor trade from apprentice to senior technician to service workshop manager.”

And it was a sliding doors moment that got him into the two-wheeled trade, at SHARK importer Phoenix Distribution in Staffordshire. “I literally lived round the corner from Phoenix and saw an advert for a technical manager for Yoshimura. I started doing race support for Yoshimura, so it made sense for me to look after the helmets because I was at the racing anyway. I’ve worked with SHARK since 1996; it’s been the main helmet brand for me for about 27 years.”

So, his technical background got him into the bike racing support world – but he’d been competing on bikes himself long before then. “I’ve pretty much raced motorcycles my whole life. I started racing with 10 years on motocross, and I’ve always had trials bikes too.