Carl Fogarty is hoping his Foggy Petronas team’s luck will change at the World Superbike Championship race at Brands Hatch this weekend and speculation grows about Neil Hodgson’s switch to MotoGP.
Carl Fogarty is hoping his Foggy Petronas team’s luck will change at the World Superbike Championship race at Brands Hatch this weekend.
His rider, James Haydon, has had a rough season, including two crashes in the previous round in the United States. But he and partner Troy Corser will be hoping for a change of fortune at the British race.
“It would be nice to see a change in luck, especially at James’ biggest round of the year in front of his home fans. If there is any bad luck to be had at the moment, James seems to be at the front of the queue. I also hope we have a much smoother ride than we did at Silverstone, which was our worst weekend of the year,” said Fogarty.
“But Troy has been achieving regular top-10 finishes and, although he will be up against fast local wild card riders, hopefully he will be able to continue with those results. The fans have all been very much behind me and this project, so I really want to send them home happy.”
A lot of attention will be on Ducati Fila-Michelin rider Neil Hodgson this week, with it now looking like a case of when rather than if he switches to MotoGP. “There has been a lot of talk of me moving, but I am concentrating on winning the championship at the moment,” Hodgson told .
“I have a meeting with Ducati this weekend. I am contracted with them until 2004 and I do not deny that this could be my last year in Superbikes,” he said.
The Brit is having an exception year. He leads the championship standings with 355 points, ahead of team-mate Ruben Xaus on 233 points. HM Plant Ducati’s James Toseland is on 201 points.
“It has certainly been the best year of my career so far – leading the championship by 122 points is testament to that. But until someone tells me I’ve accumulated enough points to win the title, my drive and motivation is still as it was from day one.
“It has been a long learning process for me. I am now nearly 30 and I feel I’ve got the fitness, the mental attitude and the experience which has led to me being here riding the best bike for the best team and being the best rider.”