WSBK News

Seventeen-year old British Supersport racer Tom Sykes will get the chance of a lifetime this weekend, when he lines up with the world's top racers at the WSBK meeting at Brands Hatch.

In a fraction of a second, Aaron Yates' mistake ended Eric Bostrom's Laguna Seca weekend - and possibly his AMA SBK title hopes. The American Suzuki rider low-sided at the start of Sunday's first WSBK race - collecting a whole host of stars in the process.

Race one at Laguna Seca lasted only as far as turn one when Aaron Yates lost control of his Suzuki under braking, and took out Frankie Chili, Eric Bostrom, Troy Corser and Neil Hodgson in the process.

Team Ducati Fila commended the work put into the programme by technical partners Michelin and Shell after finishing a difficult Laguna Seca weekend with a 1-2 finish for Ruben Xaus and Neil Hodgson.

Complete results from the second race in round eight of the 2003 World Superbike Championship at the 2.238-mile Laguna Seca circuit in California.

Complete results from the first race in round eight of the 2003 World Superbike Championship at the 2.238-mile Laguna Seca circuit in California.

Despite being kept apart from the World Superbike Championship regulars during Friday morning practice at Laguna Seca, wild-card Yoshimura Suzuki rider Mat Mladin outran all challengers as he claimed provisional pole for round eight of the 2003 World Championship.

The number of Australian's competing in this weekend's eighth round of the World Superbike Championship at Laguna Seca has increased to three, with AMA ace Mat Mladin having been granted a wild-card entry that will see him line up alongside countrymen Steve Martin and Troy Corser.

Foggy Petronas Racing's Troy Corser and fianc?e Sam Davies are celebrating the arrival of their of their first child and son, Kalani Gray Corser. Weighing in at a healthy 3.5 kgs (7lbs 6oz) Kalani joined the Corser family on Monday 24 June, at 2.05pm, in Monaco where the pair live.

Today at Misano, Ducati unveiled the limited-edition Ducati 999R FILA road bike (pictured) to celebrate 200 wins in the World Superbike Championship.

Less than a week after confirming that Italian Lorenzo Mauri would replace the recovering James Haydon in this weekend's San Marino round of the World Superbike Championship at Misano, Fogarty Petronas Racing suffered a major blow when the 26 year-old crashed and seriously injured his knee.

With James Haydon ruled out of action through injury for the seventh round of the WSBK series, at Misano, wild-card Italian Lorenzo Mauri has been drafted in for a one-off ride with Foggy Petronas Racing - and he's determined not to waste his chance.

Carl Fogarty has chosen young Italian rider Lorenzo Mauri to replace the injured James Haydon on the FP1 for this weekend's seventh round of the World Superbike championship.

When the racing finishes at this year's Superbike World Championship at Brands Hatch, organisers are promising that the ultimate biking party will begin with the launch of Thunderpark, billed as the biggest party that Brands Hatch will ever have seen.

Neil Hodgson will have a glamorous partner on the grid at Laguna Seca next month, following Team Ducati's decision to pair him with recently crowned Miss Great Britain Nicki Lane.

Jurgen van den Goorbergh rode to an impressive second place at Silverstone, an excellent performance on his first visit to the fast English circuit. Jurgen started well but clashed fairings with eventual winner Chris Vermeulen on the opening lap, breaking his concentration momentarily.

Jurgen van den Goorbergh scored his first World Supersport pole position today, and Yamaha's first of the year, on the Belgarda Yamaha R6 at Silverstone.

Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra riders, Stephane Chambon and Katsuaki Fujiwara crowned a superb final qualifying by taking second and third places on the grid for tomorrow's sixth round race at Silverstone.

A former World War II airfield, the original Silverstone layout consisted of a series of long straights connected by fast sweeping corners. Its character might have changed slightly, but the basic premise still remains.

Foggy Petronas racing rider James Haydon will wait for the results of a scan on his neck before deciding whether to race in the sixth round of the World Superbike championship at Silverstone this weekend.

British Superbike Championship favourites occupy all five of the wild card vacancies on the entry list for this weekend's world championship encounter at Silverstone - and take both the available Supersport slots as well.

James Haydon was unable to compete in race two at Oschersleben yesterday after a heavy fall in the opening race, at 'Triple', the fastest corner of the circuit.

Neil Hodgson set the best lap of a 'wet' Superpole session, but only after a last gasp scare when he had to overcome an off-track moment to dig deep and usurp Frankie Chili from top spot.

Despite going into the race with badly damaged ligaments in his right thumb from his Friday crash, Australian Chris Vermeulen won by a massive margin of 9.1 seconds at Monza in the World Supersport championship.