By Dan Moakes
September 18 2002

Grand Prix

Carlos Checa has signed up for two more years with the Marlboro Yamaha team, although Max Biaggi’s decision to leave quite possibly means that the tobacco sponsorship will be going with him. The Roman was thought to be most likely as Troy Bayliss’ Ducati partner, but more recent speculation puts Loris Capirossi on the bike. Either way, it seems that ‘Capirex’ is set to leave the Honda Pons squad.

2003 will see rather more RCV Hondas than the three currently being raced, now that Daijiro Kato has been given the four-stroke. It’s thought there could be as many as ten next year, and it may be that the Red Bull team could be one outfit that is moving over to this bike. Before this season is out, the Pons team will have one RCV available, and Alex Barros is thought most likely to be riding the new machine.

In the Tech 3 team there will be a single Yamaha M1 campaigned from the Malaysian GP. Shinya Nakano will get to ride this bike in the meantime, but this squad will be running two of these next year.

World Superbike

With Troy Bayliss expected to move into MotoGP with Ducati next year, and Neil Hodgson moving over to take his place, it now seems likely that Colin Edwards will be the Englishman’s new Ducati Infostrada team-mate. This means that Ruben Xaus looks to be out of a job, although rumours have recently connected him with a switch to Aprilia, or possibly a GP ride.

Meanwhile, Kawasaki’s Chris Walker has been confirmed as the GSE HM Plant squad’s new signing, alongside James Toseland, who stays for a third season. The Kawasaki squad itself is to withdraw from the series after this season, with MotoGP as the new focus. Gregorio Lavilla has signed to remain with Alstare Suzuki, but the team is yet to say whether it will continue with the 750 bike or switch to the 1000 machine.

The Aprilia team is set to go back to a two bike set-up in 2003, with brothers Ben and Eric Bostrom, if not Ruben Xaus, thought to be in contention for the seat alongside Noriyuki Haga. Ben may not have the option of remaining on an L&M Ducati after a relatively disappointing season and could, in fact, even end up with Honda in the American series. With the Castrol Honda WSB squad possibly also running a pair of bikes next year, neither one of their riders has yet been confirmed. US racer Nicky Hayden could have been a possible option here, but he is apparently being mentioned as a GP prospect.