From a press release issued by HM Plant Ducati:

2003 WSB starts here

While thousands of race fans will be out doing their Christmas shopping this weekend, HM Plant Ducati will be beginning its preparations for the 2003 Superbike World Championship. The festive season has come early for the GSE Racing squad, who took delivery of four 2002-spec factory Ducati 998 FO2 machines last month.

The new HM Plant Ducatis will therefore take to the track for the first time at Valencia on 7-9 December in the capable hands of James Toseland and team debutant Chris Walker. However, the HM Plant Ducati team mates have had contrasting build-ups to the first pre-season test at the Spanish circuit.

New signing Chris Walker has been recovering from his Supermoto accident last month in Belgium and only had his plaster removed on Tuesday – four days before he will be putting that same leg over the HM Plant Ducati! He is however looking forward to the experience.

“Removing the plaster was a success and I think that it’ll be a case of my ankle feeling better each day,” said the world number nine. “I’m still on crutches because I have a further operation on 17 December, but I don’t anticipate that I’ll have any problems riding the HM Plant Ducati.”