Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Gregorio Lavilla will ride a Dunlop-equipped GSX-R1000 in the 2003 World Superbike Championship for Alstare Corona Suzuki.

Patricia Batta, Alstare Corona Suzuki Account Manager and wife of Team Owner Francis Batta, confirmed the 29-year-old Spainard as the team’s only full-time Superbike rider in an e-mail to Roadracingworld.com Tuesday.

Batta added that 20-year-old 2002 European Superstock Champion Vittorio Ianuzzo (Italy) will race a GSX-R1000 Superbike at Monza, Misano, Imola, Assen and one other round of the 2003 World Superbike series. In addition, Ianuzzo will race a GSX-R1000 in the Italian Superbike Championship in preparation for a possible full-time World Superbike ride in 2004.

Katsuaki Fujiwara and Stephane Chambon will both return to race in the 2003 World Supersport Championship on Dunlop-sponsored Alstare Corona Suzuki GSX-R600s. Fujiwara and Chambon finished second and third in the 2002 World Supersport Championship respectively.

Batta also said that Lavilla will join the Suzuki MotoGP team and the Yoshimura Suzuki AMA Superbike/Formula Xtreme team for a test at Sepang Circuit in Malaysia January 12-18.