2003 Superbike World Championship

2003 Superbike World Championship
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Support series:
Supersport World Championship
Superstock European Championship

The 2003 Superbike World Championship was the sixteenth FIM Superbike World Championship season. The season started on 2 March at Valencia and finished on 19 October at Magny-Cours after 12 rounds.

Rule changes for 2003 allowed 1000cc machines (either twins, triples or four-cylinder) to race. The rule changes in MotoGP which allowed 4-stroke engines starting from 2002 meant that the Japanese manufacturers had focused their resources there; as a result the Superbike World Championship was left with limited factory involvement,[1] with Ducati, Suzuki and the new-for-2003 Carl Fogarty's Foggy Petronas as the only factory teams. As a result of most of the field being formed of Ducati motorcycles, the championship was given the derogatory label of the "Ducati Cup" in some quarters.[2]

The factory Ducati Team entered the only two Ducati 999s in the field, taking 20 wins from 24 races in a season where all races were won by Ducati. Neil Hodgson won the riders' championship and Ducati won the manufacturers' championship.

Race calendar and results edit

Round Circuit Date Superpole Fastest lap Winning rider Winning team Report
1 R1   Valencia 2 March   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati Report
R2   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati
2 R1   Phillip Island 30 March   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati Report
R2   Rubén Xaus   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati
3 R1   Sugo 27 April   Régis Laconi   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati Report
R2   Pierfrancesco Chili   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati
4 R1   Monza 18 May   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati Report
R2   Régis Laconi   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati
5 R1   Oschersleben 1 June   Neil Hodgson   Pierfrancesco Chili   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati Report
R2   Neil Hodgson   James Toseland HM Plant Ducati
6 R1   Silverstone 15 June   Neil Hodgson   Gregorio Lavilla   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati Report
R2   Gregorio Lavilla   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati
7 R1   Misano 22 June   Neil Hodgson   Rubén Xaus   Rubén Xaus Fila Ducati Report
R2   Rubén Xaus   Rubén Xaus Fila Ducati
8 R1   Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca 13 July   Mat Mladin   Régis Laconi   Pierfrancesco Chili Team PSG-1 Report
R2   Rubén Xaus   Rubén Xaus Fila Ducati
9 R1   Brands Hatch 27 July   John Reynolds   Shane Byrne   Shane Byrne Monstermob Ducati Report
R2   John Reynolds   Shane Byrne Monstermob Ducati
10 R1   Assen 7 September   Pierfrancesco Chili   Gregorio Lavilla   Rubén Xaus Fila Ducati Report
R2   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati
11 R1   Imola 28 September   Rubén Xaus   Neil Hodgson   Rubén Xaus Fila Ducati Report
R2   Rubén Xaus   Rubén Xaus Fila Ducati
12 R1   Magny-Cours 19 October   James Toseland   Neil Hodgson   Neil Hodgson Fila Ducati Report
R2   Neil Hodgson   Rubén Xaus Fila Ducati

Championship standings edit

Riders' standings edit

2003 final riders' standings[3]
Pos. Rider Bike ESP
 
AUS
 
JPN
 
ITA
 
GER
 
GBR
 
SMR
 
USA
 
GBR
 
NED
 
ITA
 
FRA
 
Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
1   Hodgson Ducati 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 Ret 2 2 2 2 5 2 1 2 4 1 Ret 489
2   Xaus Ducati 2 2 2 2 4 4 7 Ret Ret 5 3 3 1 1 Ret 1 Ret 4 1 2 1 1 2 1 386
3   Toseland Ducati 4 3 DSQ 5 3 5 4 5 3 1 2 4 2 Ret 3 Ret 6 3 4 Ret Ret Ret 5 2 271
4   Laconi Ducati 5 Ret 6 4 2 7 2 4 4 4 4 6 3 4 Ret 4 4 8 Ret 4 3 2 6 16 267
5   Lavilla Suzuki 7 6 3 7 5 2 3 2 Ret Ret Ret 2 4 5 Ret 5 7 6 Ret 3 4 3 4 4 256
6   Walker Ducati 3 4 7 6 Ret Ret 6 6 5 3 9 8 5 8 5 3 3 Ret 5 8 Ret 5 3 3 234
7   Chili Ducati Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret 3 5 3 2 11 7 7 Ret 3 1 Ret 9 7 3 5 5 Ret Ret Ret 197
8   Martin Ducati 6 5 4 9 15 Ret 9 7 6 6 Ret Ret 6 9 Ret Ret 14 Ret 9 11 6 Ret 7 5 139
9   Pedercini Ducati 8 9 10 14 7 Ret 10 10 9 10 11 11 8 6 Ret 10 Ret 16 12 14 Ret 6 Ret 11 112
10   Borciani Ducati 9 10 9 10 13 13 8 8 7 9 10 13 11 14 10 9 Ret 14 Ret 13 10 11 Ret 14 111
11   Sanchini Kawasaki Ret 13 13 12 11 10 14 12 11 12 13 14 9 11 9 8 15 15 10 12 8 8 10 10 108
12   Corser Petronas Ret 7 5 8 Ret 12 13 Ret 12 14 16 Ret 7 10 8 Ret Ret Ret 6 9 7 7 8 Ret 107
13   Borja Ducati 14 8 12 15 10 9 DNS DNS Ret 7 Ret Ret Ret 12 11 7 12 Ret Ret 16 11 9 9 7 87
14   Clementi Kawasaki 11 14 11 11 Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret 13 14 16 10 13 Ret Ret 13 13 8 7 9 Ret Ret 9 76
15   Bussei Yamaha Ret 11 14 Ret 12 11 Ret 13 10 Ret 12 12 16 16 52
Ducati 7 6
16   Byrne Ducati 1 1 50
17   Reynolds Suzuki 6 10 Ret 2 Ret 10 42
18   Iannuzzo Suzuki 12 9 8 8 Ret 15 Ret 7 DNS DNS 37
19   Gramigni Yamaha Ret DNS 11 11 12 15 16 11 11 15 13 12 Ret 12 37
20   Kagayama Suzuki 5 5 10 9 35
21   Haslam Ducati Ret 10 7 6 Ret 6 35
22   García Ducati 10 12 8 Ret DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS Ret Ret DNS DNS 12 10 Ret Ret 28
23   Rutter Ducati 8 9 8 Ret 23
24   Izutsu Honda 6 6 20
25   Mladin Suzuki 4 DNS 13
26   Haydon Petronas 12 Ret 15 16 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret Ret 17 Ret DNS DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 12
27   Fuertes Suzuki 15 Ret 16 Ret 17 17 15 16 Ret 17 Ret Ret 14 13 11 Ret 12
28   Emmett Ducati 5 Ret 11
29   Russo Ducati 13 15 16 13 13 Ret 15 18 Ret Ret 11
30   Yates Suzuki 6 Ret 10
31   Ellison Ducati 11 12 9
32   Gimbert Suzuki Ret 8 8
33   Watanabe Suzuki 8 Ret 8
34   Foti Ducati Ret Ret 15 14 14 15 Ret Ret 14 Ret 8
35   Tortoroglio Honda Ret 16 Ret 17 Ret 15 Ret 15 Ret 18 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS 18 16 6
36   Stey Honda 13 13 6
37   Saiger Yamaha 13 Ret 17 14 15 17 6
38   Zaiser Aprilia Ret DNS 4
Suzuki 12 Ret
39   Nakamura Honda 14 14 4
40   Pedersoli Ducati 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 19 Ret 3
41   Blora Ducati 13 17 3
42   Protat Yamaha 14 15 3
43   Liverani Yamaha 14 19 20 Ret 2
44   Pini Suzuki 17 19 15 15 2
45   Mrkývka Ducati DNQ DNQ 15 17 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret DNQ DNQ 2
Pos. Rider Bike ESP
 
AUS
 
JPN
 
ITA
 
GER
 
GBR
 
SMR
 
USA
 
GBR
 
NED
 
ITA
 
FRA
 
Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole position
Italics – Fastest lap

Manufacturers' standings edit

2003 final manufacturers' standings[4]
Pos. Manufacturer ESP
 
AUS
 
JPN
 
ITA
 
GER
 
GBR
 
SMR
 
USA
 
GBR
 
NED
 
ITA
 
FRA
 
Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
1   Ducati 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 600
2   Suzuki 7 6 3 7 5 2 3 2 8 8 5 2 4 5 4 5 7 2 16 3 4 3 4 4 306
3   Kawasaki 11 13 11 11 11 8 14 12 11 12 13 14 9 11 9 8 13 13 8 7 8 8 10 9 130
4   Petronas 12 7 5 8 9 12 13 Ret 12 14 16 Ret 7 10 8 Ret 17 Ret 6 9 7 7 8 Ret 118
5   Yamaha 16 11 14 Ret 12 11 11 11 10 19 12 12 12 15 16 11 11 15 13 12 14 12 69
6   Honda Ret 16 19 20 6 6 Ret 15 Ret 18 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS 18 16 13 13 31
  Aprilia Ret DNS 0
Pos. Manufacturer ESP
 
AUS
 
JPN
 
ITA
 
GER
 
GBR
 
SMR
 
USA
 
GBR
 
NED
 
ITA
 
FRA
 
Pts

Entry list edit

2003 Entry List [5]
No Rider Team Motorcycle Tyre
4   Troy Corser Foggy PETRONAS Racing Petronas FP1 M
5   Ivan Clementi Kawasaki Bertocchi Kawasaki ZX-7RR D
6   Mauro Sanchini Kawasaki Bertocchi Kawasaki ZX-7RR D
7   Pierfrancesco Chili Team PSG-1 Ducati 998RS D
8   James Haydon Foggy PETRONAS Racing Petronas FP1 M
9   Chris Walker HM Plant Ducati Ducati 998F02 D
10   Gregorio Lavilla Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 D
11   Rubén Xaus Ducati Fila Ducati 999F03 M
16   Sergio Fuertes MIR Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 D
19   Lucio Pedercini Team Pedercini Ducati 998RS D
20   Marco Borciani D.F.X. Racing Team Ducati 998RS P
23   Jiri Mrkyvka JM SBK Team Ducati 998RS D
26   Luca Pedersoli Team Pedercini Ducati 998RS D
27   Mark Heckles Team Rumi Honda VTR1000SP2 M
28   Serafino Foti Team Pedercini Ducati 998RS D
31   Vittorio Iannuzzo Alstare Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 D
33   Juan Borja D.F.X. Racing Team Ducati 998RS P
35   Nello Russo Team Pedercini Ducati 998RS D
38   Giancarlo De Matteis Caracchi NCR Nortel Net. Ducati 998RS D
48   David García Caracchi NCR Nortel Net. Ducati 998RS D
51   Davide Messori UnionBike GiMotorsport Yamaha YZF-R1 D
52   James Toseland HM Plant Ducati Ducati 998F02 D
55   Régis Laconi Caracchi NCR Nortel Net. Ducati 998RS D
68   Bertrand Stey White Endurance Honda VTR1000SP2 D
91   Walter Tortoroglio White Endurance Honda VTR1000SP2 D
92   Frédéric Protat UnionBike GiMotorsport Yamaha YZF-R1 D
98   Gianmaria Liverani UnionBike GiMotorsport Yamaha YZF-R1 D
99   Steve Martin D.F.X. Racing Team Ducati 998RS P
100   Neil Hodgson Ducati Fila Ducati 999F03 M
15   Giovanni Bussei Ducati Austin Ducati 998RS
22   Horst Saiger Remus Racing Austria Yamaha YZF-R1
29   Giuseppe Zannini Team Pro.Con. Ducati 998RS
32   Eric Bostrom Kawasaki Road Racing Kawasaki ZX-7RR
36   Sundby Dag Steinar Komatsu Sundby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1
39   Alessandro Gramigni Nuvolari 391 Yamaha YZF-R1
40   Nick Medd Renegade Ducati Ducati 998RS
41   Robert Menzen Racing Team R. Menzen Suzuki GSX-R1000
42   Paul Mooijman Kruisinga Motoren Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000
44   Stefan Nebel Elf Yoshimura Shafer Motorsp. Suzuki GSX-R1000
50   Marco Masetti Caracchi NCR Nortel Net. Ducati 996RS
57   Simone Conti Scuderia HF Suzuki GSX-R1000
60   Michael Rutter Renegade Ducati Ducati 998F02
61   John Reynolds Rizla Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
62   Sean Emmett ETI Racing Ducati 998RS
64   Yukio Kagayama Rizla Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
66   Mat Mladin Suzuki Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000
67   Shane Byrne Monstermob Ducati Ducati 998F02 D
69   Karl Truchsess Remus Racing Austria Yamaha YZF-R1
70   Christian Zaiser Racing Team Zaiser Suzuki GSX-R1000
71   Martin Benito Isaac Acumoto Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R1
73   Steven Cutting Motorcycle Weaponry Suzuki GSX-R1000
74   Kenichiro Nakamura Blue Helmet MSC Honda VTR1000SP2
75   Alistair Maxwell Michelin Honda Honda CBR954RR M
76   Atsushi Watanabe Team Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000
77   Hitoyasu Izutsu Team HRC Honda VTR1000SPW
78   Jay Normoyle Warren & Brown Lightpaths Suzuki GSX-R1000
79   Noriyasu Numata Team Foundatlon Ducati 996RS
82   Lorenzo Mauri Team Pedercini Ducati 998RS
89   Dean Ellison Firepower Ducati Ducati 996
90   Leon Haslam Renegade Ducati Ducati 998RS
93   Sébastien Gimbert SERT Suzuki GSX-R1000
96   Luca Pini Boselli Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000
113   Paolo Blora Lucido Corse Ducati 996RS
120   Aaron Yates Suzuki Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000
Key
Wildcard Rider
D Dunlop
M Michelin
P Pirelli

References edit

  1. ^ Edge, Dirck. "1000cc Superbikes May Save World Championship". motorcycledaily.com. Archived from the original on 2008-08-07.
  2. ^ "History of the World Superbike Championship - Devitt". Devitt Insurance. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Magny Cours 17–18–19 October, 2003 – Superbike – Championship Standing & Ranking Progression". sbk.perugiatiming.com. Perugia Timing. 19 October 2003. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Magny Cours 17–18–19 October, 2003 – Superbike – Manufacturers Standings & Ranking Progression". sbk.perugiatiming.com. Perugia Timing. 19 October 2003. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  5. ^ "Motorcycle Racing Online - World Superbike entry list for 2003".