CAREER HISTORY

2002 - Raced one race for the Saveko World SuperSport Team

2001 - Raced half the 500GP season for the embattled Pulse Racing Team before the team's financial situation forced Mark to withdraw from the team.

2000 - After a deal to race 500 GP's for 2000 fell through at the last minute, Mark was picked to participate in a pre-season test with the Factory Red Bull Yamaha Team to replace injured rider Regis Laconi. After a successful 3 week test along side current GP star Garry McCoy, Willis was given a contract to fill in for either of the 2 factory Red Bull riders if they became injured. During the season Mark also tested with Red Bull at the Brno circuit in the Czech Rep. 

In July and September he competed in 2 rounds of the World Endurance Championship. The first race was at Spa in Belgium (24 hour of Leige) and the second was the prestigious Bol D'Or 24 hour race in France.  Mark won both races for the Yamaha Motor France team.

A deal was then signed with Kenny Roberts (Senior) to compete in 4 of the last 5 rounds of the 2000 GP season aboard the 3 cylinder Modenas.  This came after some successful testing and development work for the team in July.

1999 - Mark joined the BSL 500 race team to compete in the 500cc Grand prix World Championship. Unfortunately, the bike was not developed enough and mechanical problems kept it from competing at a GP.   Mark then leased a Modenas bike to compete in the last 7 races of the season.  He proved to be consistently the fastest of the three Modenas riders, finishing 6 out of the last 7 races.  At the last race in Argentina Mark qualified in front of Factory Yamaha riders Laconi, McCoy and Aprilia Pilot Tetsuya Harada.

1998 - Mark rode in round one of the World SuperBike Championship at Phillip Island aboard a Privateer Suzuki.  He qualified 8th with a lap time under the circuit Lap record and scored a 6th and 9th in the races.  He beat home both Factory Suzuki riders along with Colin Edwards and many of the other WSB regulars.

Willis also competed in both the Superbike and 600 Supersport classes in the Australian Championship until a broken collarbone prevented him from competing in the last 2 rounds of both Championships.

After healing from his Australian injuries Mark was chosen to ride the Factory Suzuki 500 at the Phillip Island Grand Prix.  It was Mark's first outing on a GP bike but he still managed to score points.

It had looked certain that Mark would clinch the Clarion Suzuki Superbike position in the British championships for 1999. Unfortunately the position was given to another rider through a Suzuki Japan commitment.  

1997 - After being named 'Australian Rider of the Year' in 1996 (an award also won by Mick Doohan, Darryl Beattie, Mat Mladin) Mark was chosen to team with Troy Bayliss in the Australian Factory Suzuki Superbike team.  Willis took his maiden SuperBike race win in a rain drenched Eastern Creek meeting.

1992-1996 highlights - RK Samurai Trophy Winner.  Queensland SuperSport 600 Champion. Australian Long Track Champion.  New South Wales Dirt Bike Champion.