2003 Superbike World Championship Explained

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

Championship standings

Riders' standings

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
15	Ducati															7	6										52
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		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
38	Suzuki																							12	Ret		4
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

Bold – Pole position
Italics – Fastest lap

Manufacturers' standings

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

2003 Entry List ^[5]
No	Rider	Team	Motorcycle	Tyre
4	Troy Corser	Foggy PETRONAS Racing	Petronas FP1
5	Ivan Clementi	Kawasaki Bertocchi	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
6	Mauro Sanchini	Kawasaki Bertocchi	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
7	Pierfrancesco Chili	Team PSG-1	Ducati 998RS
8	James Haydon	Foggy PETRONAS Racing	Petronas FP1
9	Chris Walker	HM Plant Ducati	Ducati 998F02
10	Gregorio Lavilla	Alstare Suzuki	Suzuki GSX-R1000
11	Rubén Xaus	Ducati Fila	Ducati 999F03
16	Sergio Fuertes	MIR Racing	Suzuki GSX-R1000
19	Lucio Pedercini	Team Pedercini	Ducati 998RS
20	Marco Borciani	D.F.X. Racing Team	Ducati 998RS
23	Jiri Mrkyvka	JM SBK Team	Ducati 998RS
26	Luca Pedersoli	Team Pedercini	Ducati 998RS
27	Mark Heckles	Team Rumi	Honda VTR1000SP2
28	Serafino Foti	Team Pedercini	Ducati 998RS
31	Vittorio Iannuzzo	Alstare Suzuki	Suzuki GSX-R1000
33	Juan Borja	D.F.X. Racing Team	Ducati 998RS
35	Nello Russo	Team Pedercini	Ducati 998RS
38	Giancarlo De Matteis	Caracchi NCR Nortel Net.	Ducati 998RS
48	David García	Caracchi NCR Nortel Net.	Ducati 998RS
51	Davide Messori	UnionBike GiMotorsport	Yamaha YZF-R1
52	James Toseland	HM Plant Ducati	Ducati 998F02
55	Régis Laconi	Caracchi NCR Nortel Net.	Ducati 998RS
68	Bertrand Stey	White Endurance	Honda VTR1000SP2
91	Walter Tortoroglio	White Endurance	Honda VTR1000SP2
92	Frédéric Protat	UnionBike GiMotorsport	Yamaha YZF-R1
98	Gianmaria Liverani	UnionBike GiMotorsport	Yamaha YZF-R1
99	Steve Martin	D.F.X. Racing Team	Ducati 998RS
100	Neil Hodgson	Ducati Fila	Ducati 999F03
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		Ducati 998F02
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
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

Notes and References

Web site: 1000cc Superbikes May Save World Championship. Dirck . Edge. https://web.archive.org/web/20080807175321/http://www.motorcycledaily.com/26jan011000ccsuperbikes.html . 2008-08-07 . motorcycledaily.com . dead.
Web site: History of the World Superbike Championship - Devitt . Devitt Insurance . 21 June 2016 . 5 July 2018.
Web site: Magny Cours 17–18–19 October, 2003 – Superbike – Championship Standing & Ranking Progression. sbk.perugiatiming.com. Perugia Timing. 19 October 2003. 21 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141221120605/http://sbk.perugiatiming.com/pdf_results/pdf_frame.asp?p_Round=ROUND&p_Anno=2003&p_Manifestazione=12&p_Gara=01&p_Sessione=002&p_Stampa=STD. 21 December 2014. dead. dmy-all.
Web site: Magny Cours 17–18–19 October, 2003 – Superbike – Manufacturers Standings & Ranking Progression. sbk.perugiatiming.com. Perugia Timing. 19 October 2003. 21 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141221120409/http://sbk.perugiatiming.com/pdf_results/pdf_frame.asp?p_Round=ROUND&p_Anno=2003&p_Manifestazione=12&p_Gara=01&p_Sessione=002&p_Stampa=MAK. 21 December 2014. dead. dmy-all.
Web site: Motorcycle Racing Online - World Superbike entry list for 2003.