Chili: I'd team up with Foggy!

Newly retired WSBK star Pierfrancesco Chili has left the door open for a tantalising team-up with former arch rival Carl Fogarty.

The emotional Italian concluded his twelve-year SBK career at the Magny-Cours season finale when, among those that greeted him before his final race, was Fogarty (top picture) - whom Chili famously tried to attack while wearing a dressing gown at Assen in 1998.

Chili had been upset after falling on the last lap of race two (middle picture) while battling his fellow factory Ducati rider for victory, Frankie feeling that Foggy had cut him up earlier in the lap. Chili had made his anger clear by confronting Foggy straight after the race, but then returned again in his dressing gown at the post race press conference! All of which is now water under the bridge...

"Any bad feelings between us were cleared up a long time ago," the official WSBK website reports Chili as saying. "Now we've got a good relationship based on mutual respect, so much so that I've told Carl I'd be happy to team up with him one day."

The prospect of former four-times WSBK champion Foggy and 17 times WSBK race winner Chili working together will raise eyebrows but, at the very least, both are planning to hold management roles in the SBK paddock next season.

Foggy is searching for a sponsor to secure the continue participation of his Foggy Racing team following the conclusion of the Petronas contract, while Chili is expected to switch from DFX Honda rider to team manager - although he indicated that the move is far from certain.

"I'd love to (become a team manager)," said Frankie. "If I had the right people on board I'm sure I could do a good job. I'm not saying I know everything there is to know, but I wouldn't be a beginner either with all my experience. Nothing is settled at the moment. I'm waiting for a few issues to be cleared up before I make any final decision."

Meanwhile Chili confirmed that he really is finally retiring from racing... despite being inspired by the efforts of 37-year-old reigning WSBK champion Troy Bayliss.

"I'm still training as if there were a race coming up. Who knows what might happen, after all?" said the 42-year-old. "After Bayliss' amazing race victory in MotoGP (at Valencia) I might even think again myself! Seriously, though, the decision has been made now and I'm sticking with it."

Former Foggy Petronas rider Steve Martin and young Italian Michel Fabrizio will ride for DFX Honda in the 2007 Corona Extra World Superbike championship.