R1-ner
Die hard MF'er
Hodgson leaves MotoGP for AMA
News, 09/11/04
Neil Hodgson will be competing in the AMA Superbike Championship next season after one unsuccessful campaign in the MotoGP World Championship.
Hodgson arrived in MotoGP this season as World Superbike Champion but was unable to continue his winning form on the 2003 version Ducati Desmosedici in the colours of Team D’Antin. The British rider admits he was disappointed to be leaving the world’s premier series but is looking forward to the possibility of winning races as a factory rider again.
“Having had a disappointing experience in MotoGP, it’s such a relief to be back where I belong with Ducati Corse,” declared Hodgson. “The AMA Championship poses a great challenge both to me personally and to Ducati as they haven’t won it for many years.
“I would like to make history and be the first rider ever to have won the British and World Superbike Championships and the AMA Championship. Being back with the 999 is going to be so natural for me and I can’t wait to start testing.
“The main thing that I have discovered this year is that I cannot race just to make up the numbers. I need to win!”
Hodgson’s first test with the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin AMA Superbike team is scheduled for January 3rd to 5th 2005 at the Daytona circuit in Florida.
News, 09/11/04
Neil Hodgson will be competing in the AMA Superbike Championship next season after one unsuccessful campaign in the MotoGP World Championship.
Hodgson arrived in MotoGP this season as World Superbike Champion but was unable to continue his winning form on the 2003 version Ducati Desmosedici in the colours of Team D’Antin. The British rider admits he was disappointed to be leaving the world’s premier series but is looking forward to the possibility of winning races as a factory rider again.
“Having had a disappointing experience in MotoGP, it’s such a relief to be back where I belong with Ducati Corse,” declared Hodgson. “The AMA Championship poses a great challenge both to me personally and to Ducati as they haven’t won it for many years.
“I would like to make history and be the first rider ever to have won the British and World Superbike Championships and the AMA Championship. Being back with the 999 is going to be so natural for me and I can’t wait to start testing.
“The main thing that I have discovered this year is that I cannot race just to make up the numbers. I need to win!”
Hodgson’s first test with the Parts Unlimited Ducati Austin AMA Superbike team is scheduled for January 3rd to 5th 2005 at the Daytona circuit in Florida.