Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

His manager and mother has confirmed that 27-year-old Australian Anthony Gobert has signed with Austin Bleu Bayou Ducati for the 2003 AMA Superbike season.

“Yes, Anthony has signed with Austin Bleu Bayou Ducati for 2003,” wrote Gobert’s mother and manager Sue Gobert in a September 17 e-mail to Roadracingworld.com. “We are very excited about next year. It is sad to leave Yamaha as Anthony has had a wonderful association with them. However, the thought of racing a Ducati again is so appealing that Anthony couldn’t resist.”

Which brand of tire Gobert will run is yet to be determined. The Austin Bleu Bayou Ducati team ran Michelins in 2002.

Anthony Gobert is currently in Australia recovering from surgery to remove the screws inserted into the leg he broke at Road Atlanta in May. Gobert originally planned to have the screws removed the Monday after the last AMA race at VIR but put it off for an extra month, according to sources on his former Yamaha team.

Aaron Gobert has another year left on his contract with Yamaha, while Alex Gobert is currently unsigned for 2003.