Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The President of Ducati says, “Rubén, Ducati America needs you.”

By Dennis Noyes

Imola, Italy: Spain’s fast and spectacular Rubén Xaus, arguably the brightest star at this year’s Laguna Seca World Superbike round, is negotiating a contract with Ducati Corse that could result in his riding the 2004 AMA Superbike Championship for the Ducati Austin team with full works Ducati Corse backing and, perhaps, top-of-the-line Michelin tires, but the deal is not done and the Spaniard has other options, including two possible MotoGP rides.

“This is a hard decision to make,” said Xaus on Friday at Imola. “Ducati President Federico Minoli has told me he that Ducati must have me ride for them in the AMA series. He says they need to win races there and he wants me to do it.”

During a chat with Xaus prior to Saturday’s Superpole (which he won, the first in his three year SBK stint), he said he had “made no effort” to renew his World Superbike agreement because he does not want to ride in a single-tire Championship. “As soon as I heard about the new rules I decided that I had to get out of here. This is a big step backwards for the Championship. Part of the challenge and the fun of racing at a high level is choosing the best tires and setting the bike up to suit your tire choice. Going to a single tire company and the same tire for everybody is like club racing and I am not interested in that. I have had talks with three MotoGP teams, one Ducati, one Yamaha and one Honda. Luis D’Antin wants me to ride in his Ducati team along with Neil but Ducati wants me in the USA. I also have an offer to ride a Yamaha in MotoGP, but I want a two-year deal and one with a future beyond that. I have also talked to Sito Pons. Right now my manager is looking at several offers and we are waiting for a better offer from Ducati for the USA. Their first offer was not good enough but they knew that. It is just their way of opening the negotiations. I know how they bargain. Remember last year I was hired at the very last minute when Edwards turned down the Ducati offer and went to Aprilia. I had an Aprilia offer at that time for SBK, but when Colin made his move that took all the money out of the Aprilia budget.”

Paolo Ciabatti, director of Ducati’s Superbike racing program explained, “Even though we know we could win the title with him next year, we think it is time for a change and for us to bring in new riders. We have decided not to bring Rubén back to World Superbike next year because feel he has had three years in the class and has won races but has not won the title. In each of his three years with us he has been inconsistent at first with many crashes and then fast and consistent at the end of the year. We think he needs a change of Championship now and we believe we need to introduce other riders and give them a chance. We know that Rubén eventually wants to go to MotoGP and that coming back here after all his rivals have gone to MotoGP would not be the best for him as a rider. He needs a new challenge. We feel Ruben, is a very talented rider and we know he is very popular with fans all over the world. He speaks five languages. We feel that he is the man we need in the United States now.”

Ducati, unlike most factory teams, rarely continues with the same rider beyond a two or three year period if that rider does not win Championships. Neil Hodgson was fired and later re-hired by Ducati and is now destined to ride for the D’Antin Ducati team in MotoGP.

Ciabatti went on to say that that Ducati would probably run a one-rider team in the USA, “although the AMA is encouraging us to run a two rider team. Right now it looks like a two-rider team would be too expensive, but first we need to sort out the question of the rider.” He added that Ducati is not sure yet whether they would continue with Michelin or turn to Dunlop. “We have worked with both manufacturers and could go either way.”

Asked about Ducati’s expectations in the USA, he replied, “Really our first priority is to win Daytona because we know what that means in the U.S. market. After that our objective is to win races. Whether we win the title or not is not as important as running consistently at the front and winning races. We are also considering the possibility of offering support to another team in order to run our 749 in the AMA’s new Formula Xtreme class. The United States is our second most important market behind Italy and our American dealers have told us that we need to have our 999 and 749 bikes winning races there.”

Although Ducati officials will not yet officially confirm it, their Fila Ducati riders in 2004 will be Frenchman Regis Laconi (one of a select group or riders to have won in both SBK and 500) and 22-year-old Englishman (and concert pianist) James Toseland.

On Friday Toseland was quickest with a time of 1:49.011, followed by Laconi, Xaus and newly-crowned SBK World Champion Neil Hodgson, the only four riders to dip under the 1:50 mark, but not yet threatening Colin Edwards’ record of 1:48.336, set last year. Then today Xaus bettered his time and was the quickest in the final session, but was still second behind Toseland, who did not improve his time.

That set the stage for the battle in the Superpole which was won in spectacular fashion by Xaus who arrived at the final chicane with the bike completely crossed up and then nearly high-sided on the exit.

Xaus leads the battle for runner-up in SBK by 51 points over Toseland and by 70 points over Laconi with 100 points still in play over the next two rounds and four races.