Ducati Fila

Imola, the scene for last year's titanic battle between Bayliss (Ducati) and Edwards (Honda), opens its gates again this weekend to World Superbike, which reaches the penultimate round of the 2003 championship. Team Ducati Fila's mission for 2003 was accomplished at Assen when Neil Hodgson picked up the Riders' title to go with the Manufacturers' crown that Ducati had already clinched at Brands Hatch.

"Imola is exciting, historic and demanding" says the newly-crowned world champion. "and in particular I really enjoy the uphill part of the circuit after the tight corner, the flat out right then downhill to the Acque Minerali. It's special, a real privilege to race for the factory with the support of all the fans, you have a responsibility to put on a good show. Although I have never had a good result at Imola, I am looking forward to this race like no other. I won the title at Assen but for me the only enjoyment out there comes from winning and I want to get two first places at Imola."

Team-mate Ruben Xaus will also be looking for two good results to consolidate his second place in the championship. Ruben has already won at Imola for Ducati but does not feel any particular pressure at what is essentially Ducati's 'home' race. "I feel no pressure here, it's worse for me when I am at Valencia so the Imola race doesn't create any problems" says Ruben. "I finished first and second in 2001 and twice third last year but I love racing here because there are thousands of 'ducatisti', the track is in Italy and Ducati has always obtained fantastic results at Imola, starting with the 200 Miles race in 1972".

CIRCUIT: the Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari has been permanent since 1979, when it was updated and modified to become an established Formula 1 venue. The first World Superbike round was held here in 2001, and last year's spectacular race was watched by a record-breaking 97,000 spectators, the highest-ever figure in Italian motorcycling history. The 4.933 km sloping circuit has 10 left and 6 right-hand corners and a finish line straight measuring 358 metres.

DUCATI EMPLOYEES: The Imola race will also be a special event for the many Ducati employees who work at the Borgo Panigale factory just a quick trip up the motorway. A 500-seat grandstand has been reserved for employees, suppliers and supporters directly in front of the Ducati Fila pit garage and they are sure to make a spectacular sight with their red Ducati T-shirts! Meanwhile down at the Rivazza curve the usual display of pyrotechnics has been organised by the Ducati Desmodromic Club of Rome to cheer on the Ducati riders at that point of the circuit.

FILA GUESTS: Ducati Fila's title sponsor will be bringing along three of its athletes, all keen Ducati fans, to Imola to lend their support to the team at the penultimate round of the championship: Italian ice-hockey star Gianluca Tomasello, Olympic slalom skier Giorgio Rocca and cross-country skiing expert Cristian Zorzi.

HM Plant

Imola was first introduced to the Superbike World Championship calendar in 2001 and the last two years have seen some epic battles around the 4.93km Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit. Last year the Italian venue was the setting for a breathtaking season finale during which Colin Edwards snatched the 2002 title from Ducati’s Troy Bayliss. In 2001 it was the turn of Ruben Xaus as Regis Laconi to come to the fore.

This year, the French circuit of Magny Cours will stage the final round of the season on 19 October and Fila Ducati’s Neil Hodgson has already wrapped up the 2003 championship with four races yet to run. But this certainly does not mean that there will be any shortage of fireworks at the weekend. Hodgson will no doubt be keen to remind everybody just why he was crowned 2003 Superbike World Champion and Laconi and Xaus will be hoping to recreate their previous results at Imola.

However, these three Ducati riders will have their work cut out if they are to repel the orange attack that will be heading their way courtesy of James Toseland and Chris Walker.

For the HM Plant Ducati team-mates, Imola presents both challenges and opportunities. Toseland now has his sights firmly set on second place in the championship by the end of the season and is hoping to claw back some of the 51-point advantage that Xaus currently holds over him.

“I'm really fired up for this one,” said Toseland. “Getting a DNF at Assen has really put the cat among the pigeons. It might have been a slightly different situation if I'd got two fourths and moved out of Laconi's reach. Then I could have ridden with nothing to lose at Imola – but I'm going to anyway, because that's just me.

“It's going to be every man for himself out there and everyone will be trying to get past at every opportunity, so I'm sure there'll be elbows rubbing now and again. I desperately want second in the championship but I’ve also got to watch my back.”

Many other riders will be just as eager to impress as they look to secure their championship positions and hopefully a ride for 2004. The on-track competition is guaranteed to be fierce and this is something that Chris Walker, for one, will relish.

“This season has had its fair share of ups and downs for me,” said Walker. “A few unlucky injuries have made life difficult but on the whole I’ve had a great time with HM Plant Ducati. It’s a real shame that the team doesn’t feel that it is able to take part in the championship next year but there are still two rounds left to go this season and I want to do the best possible job for them. I’m on good form and really looking forward to the weekend. If things go my way there’s the opportunity to improve on sixth place in the championship before the end of the season and I’ve still got time to get my first World Superbike race win.”