WSBK News

Last week, 2000 World Supersport Champion Jorg Teuchert and team-mate Christian Kellner of the Yamaha Germany team performed the roll-out tests of the new fuel-injected YZF-R6 in Almeria, Spain.

New Supersport team Yamaha France were present in testing at Almeria last week where multiple Supermotard champion Thierry van den Bosch made a head turning Supersport debut.

Foggy Petronas Racing today overcame the rain in Spain to complete their final test of 2002 at Valencia, venue of the 2003 World Superbike season opener.

The Superbike Commission, composed of Messrs. Claude Danis (FIM), Paolo Alberto Flammini (SBK International), Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA) and Giulio Bardi (Team representative), has unanimously decided to introduce the following modifications to the World Superbike Championship for 2003.

MotoGP star Jurgen van den Goorbergh, left off the official 2003 entry list, will test the Yamaha Belgarda YZF-R6 Supersport machine today and tomorrow [Thursday 19th and Friday 20th December] at Valencia.

James Haydon is bruised but on the mend, following a huge high-side from his Foggy FP1 during testing at Valencia last weekend.

Chris Walker has made his long awaited debut on the Ducati 998 F02 at the team's first pre-season test at Valencia.

The calendar for the 2003 season of the Superbike, Supersport and Sidecar World Championships is as follows. The proposed round in Malaysia has been postponed until early 2004. 2003 World Superbike Championship calendar:

Carl Fogarty has launched his new publication, Foggy's Planet Riding , which is described as 'the most comprehensive publication ever dedicated to the art, science and enjoyment of riding - on road, off road and on track'.

The Assen round of the World Superbike championship has won the annual "World Superbike Organiser's Award" after the Dutch venue came out on top in a pole of the 13 circuits on the 2002 calendar.

Castrol Honda's 2002 World Superbike championship-winning campaign has been captured and is now available on video.

The Belgarda Yamaha Supersport team concluded the first of its winter tests at Valencia yesterday, but managed to complete only a small part of the intended programme with the new YZF-R6 as rain interrupted running.

GSE Ducati team boss Colin Wright is to take an immediate two-week break from the team, after taking medical advice from his consultant at the Queens University Hospital in Nottingham.

Paolo Casoli's condition continues to improve following his accident on the opening day of Belgarda Yamaha's first winter test at Valencia on Wednesday.

The opening day of Belgarda Yamaha's first winter test in Valencia saw Paolo Casoli suffer a dramatic setback after sliding off this year's YZF and hitting his head heavily on the track.

The technical changes recently announced by the FIM will have both "a positive and interesting impact on the World Superbike series in 2003," believes Foggy Petronas Racing's acclaimed Team Manager, Nigel Bosworth.

HM Plant Ducati's new signing Chris Walker has had a further operation on his injured left leg and ankle.

The Yamaha Belgarda Supersport Team have announced that they will use Pirelli tyres on their YZF-R6s in the 2003 World Superbike Championship with riders Paolo Casoli and James Whitham.

New factory Ducati rider Neil Hodgson has finished his first test to develop the all new 999 Superbike - called upon to replace the glorious 998, with which Ducati won its 11th Constructors' title this season.

Multiple superbike world champion Carl Fogarty has begun the long haul towards full fitness, following his recent arthroscopy on an injured knee.

Ben Bostrom will move back to America in the next few days after three years racing in Europe for Ducati - and has been saying his "emotional" goodbyes' to the team and his fans before heading stateside.

Two race wins at Imola crowned the Texan Tornado, Colin Edwards, as the 2002 World Superbike Champion.

This weekend's final round of the 2002 World Superbike and Supersport Championships at Imola had special significance for the Harald Eckl run Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team, marking as they did their last appearance in the world's premier production championship.

HM Plant Ducati completed a successful second season in the Superbike World Championship with Neil Hodgson and James Toseland finishing third and seventh respectively in the final points table.