Published in the Daily Mirror - Saturday 8 June 2002
TROY Bayliss, the World Superbike Champion will make the move next year to Grand Prix racing.Ducati will run two bikes in the series with Bayliss’s team-mate rumoured to be either Yamaha's disgruntled Italian Max Biaggi or Honda’s Loris Capirossi.
The move will allow Britain's own Superbike star Neil Hodgson to head the official Ducati World Superbike team. "This is the opportunity that I've been working for throughout my whole career", said Hodgson. "It gives me the best chance I've ever had to become world champion. I've had a lot of knockers in my time and I'm out to prove them all wrong."
The battle is on for the No. 2 rider between California Dreamer Ben Bostrom, Sheffield's 21 year old James Toseland and Spanish ‘Spiderman’ Ruben Xaus. However, my feeling is that Xaus will also head to GP1 with a Spanish sponsor.
Outshine
Bayliss boasts the No. 1 plates and looks set to hold on to it this season. If he does, then what does he have to prove on a Superbike?
Switching to GP will give him the opportunity to dice with the almighty Italian Valentino Rossi and prove that Superbike riders can perhaps outshine the GP boys.
The dedication and devotion the Australian shows to racing is second to none. Recently at Silverstone in appalling wet conditions he crashed twice but still managed to remount his bike to finish in fifth!
At times he was lapping five seconds faster than the leaders! His determination to regain ground was incredible. He is fearless and a real racer. He will be the first man to ride a Ducati in the GP since Bruno Spaggiari in 1972.
This weekend will see a conclusion to the talks between Ducati Corse and GSE Racing. Neil Hodgson’s contract runs out this year with GSE HM Plant Ducati but continues for two more with Ducati Corse.
Though the WSB paddock will be sad to lose Bayliss, the championship looks set to soar. New rules allowing four cylinder bikes to run at 1000 cc have opened the doors to new teams.
Yamaha may be returning in the form of satellite teams. British Superbike team Virgin Aiwa Yamaha are awaiting the final details of the new rules.
Rumours still point towards wild child Anthony Gobert to return from America to WSB.
Tuesday will see the launch of Foggy Petronas Racing. The king of Superbikes, four times world champion Carl Fogarty hopes to see his riders Troy Corser and Brit James Haydon line up on the grid at Laguna Seca.
The future looks bright – orange, Hodgson would like to think! Particularly if the new rules follow those of the British Championship. Proper rules for proper race fans!