2003 Superbike World Championship

2003 Superbike World Championship
Previous: 2002 Next: 2004
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

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

Championship standings

Riders' standings

2003 final riders' standings[3]
Pos. Rider Bike ESP
Spain
AUS
Australia
JPN
Japan
ITA
Italy
GER
Germany
GBR
United Kingdom
SMR
San Marino
USA
United States
GBR
United Kingdom
NED
Netherlands
ITA
Italy
FRA
France
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 United Kingdom 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 Spain 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 United Kingdom 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 France 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 Spain 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 United Kingdom 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 Italy 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 Australia 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 Italy 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 Italy 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 Italy 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 Australia 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 Spain 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 Italy 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 Italy Bussei Yamaha Ret 11 14 Ret 12 11 Ret 13 10 Ret 12 12 16 16 52
Ducati 7 6
16 United Kingdom Byrne Ducati 1 1 50
17 United Kingdom Reynolds Suzuki 6 10 Ret 2 Ret 10 42
18 Italy Iannuzzo Suzuki 12 9 8 8 Ret 15 Ret 7 DNS DNS 37
19 Italy Gramigni Yamaha Ret DNS 11 11 12 15 16 11 11 15 13 12 Ret 12 37
20 Japan Kagayama Suzuki 5 5 10 9 35
21 United Kingdom Haslam Ducati Ret 10 7 6 Ret 6 35
22 Spain García Ducati 10 12 8 Ret DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS DNS Ret Ret DNS DNS 12 10 Ret Ret 28
23 United Kingdom Rutter Ducati 8 9 8 Ret 23
24 Japan Izutsu Honda 6 6 20
25 Australia Mladin Suzuki 4 DNS 13
26 United Kingdom Haydon Petronas 12 Ret 15 16 9 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS Ret Ret 17 Ret DNS DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret 12
27 Spain Fuertes Suzuki 15 Ret 16 Ret 17 17 15 16 Ret 17 Ret Ret 14 13 11 Ret 12
28 United Kingdom Emmett Ducati 5 Ret 11
29 Italy Russo Ducati 13 15 16 13 13 Ret 15 18 Ret Ret 11
30 United States Yates Suzuki 6 Ret 10
31 United Kingdom Ellison Ducati 11 12 9
32 France Gimbert Suzuki Ret 8 8
33 Japan Watanabe Suzuki 8 Ret 8
34 Italy Foti Ducati Ret Ret 15 14 14 15 Ret Ret 14 Ret 8
35 Italy 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 France Stey Honda 13 13 6
37 Austria Saiger Yamaha 13 Ret 17 14 15 17 6
38 Austria Zaiser Aprilia Ret DNS 4
Suzuki 12 Ret
39 Japan Nakamura Honda 14 14 4
40 Italy Pedersoli Ducati 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 19 Ret 3
41 Italy Blora Ducati 13 17 3
42 France Protat Yamaha 14 15 3
43 Italy Liverani Yamaha 14 19 20 Ret 2
44 Italy Pini Suzuki 17 19 15 15 2
45 Czech Republic Mrkývka Ducati DNQ DNQ 15 17 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret DNQ DNQ 2
Pos. Rider Bike ESP
Spain
AUS
Australia
JPN
Japan
ITA
Italy
GER
Germany
GBR
United Kingdom
SMR
San Marino
USA
United States
GBR
United Kingdom
NED
Netherlands
ITA
Italy
FRA
France
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

2003 final manufacturers' standings[4]
Pos. Manufacturer ESP
Spain
AUS
Australia
JPN
Japan
ITA
Italy
GER
Germany
GBR
United Kingdom
SMR
San Marino
USA
United States
GBR
United Kingdom
NED
Netherlands
ITA
Italy
FRA
France
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 Italy 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 Japan 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 Japan 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 Malaysia 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 Japan 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 Japan 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
Italy Aprilia Ret DNS 0
Pos. Manufacturer ESP
Spain
AUS
Australia
JPN
Japan
ITA
Italy
GER
Germany
GBR
United Kingdom
SMR
San Marino
USA
United States
GBR
United Kingdom
NED
Netherlands
ITA
Italy
FRA
France
Pts

Entry list

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

References

  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".