From a press release issued by series organizers:

Steve Webster and Paul Woodhead
2003 Superside World champions



Steve Webster and Paul Woodhead at Nevers Magny-Cours. Photo by Jon Mitchell.

Steve Webster and Paul Woodhead clinched the 2003 Superside World championship following a fifth place in the final race of the season at Magny-Cours in France on Saturday.

The British duo completed a fantastic season aboard their Suzuki GSX-R 1000 machine with LCR chassis: eight podium finishes from 10 races, including six wins, a second and a third place – with one retirement at Monza, Italy.

It was also the pairing’s second title together – the first came in 2000 – and for Webster a ninth world title in a career spanning over 20 years in the premier class of sidecar racing.

Webster and Woodhead set the tone for the rest of the season with an opening day win at Valencia, Spain to lead the 2003 Superside World championship.

The following round at Monza, Italy was to be Webster’s only blip in an otherwise clinical campaign. He retired at the ‘Curva Grande’ on lap eight, having, until then, been involved in an epic battle with closest rivals, Klaus Klaffenböck and Christian Parzer.

Webster relinquished the leadership and found himself 16 points adrift of the Austrian, but the wily veteran from Easingwold, Yorkshire notched up his second win at Oschersleben, Germany to move to within 11 points of leader Klaffenböck.

“It was all about keeping it smooth and closing the gap in the standings. We managed to achieve both goals,” says a delighted Webster.

The Webster-Woodhead whirlwind continued to take in all before it and a third win was recorded in round four at the British pair’s first home race at Silverstone, GB.

The Castrol Suzuki man opened up a 2.296s lead by lap seven as the battle for second place, between Jörg Steinhausen, Klaffenböck and Tom Hanks, kept the fans on the edge of their seats. But it was Webster who again prevailed, crossing the finishing line 5.332s ahead of his Austrian rival.

“It was a good result especially for the overall standings. We changed from a hydraulic to cable clutch and that was the reason for the slow start,” explains Webster.

Klaffenböck and Parzer’s lead was now reduced to six points as the three-wheeled convoy set off for round five and the unbearably hot conditions that welcomed the teams on arrival at Misano Adriatico, Italy.

Steinhausen took the victory at the ‘Santamonica’ circuit as Webster had to settle for a solid third place podium finish – a rear tyre problem hampered his chances of a third consecutive win. Klaffenböck kept his points tally ticking over with fourth position, hanging on to top spot by three points.

The leadership was, however, to change proprietorship in the subsequent round at a rain-soaked Brands Hatch, GB for the second ‘home’ leg of the campaign.

Steinhausen and passenger Trevor Hopkinson put up a great fight at the Kent circuit but Webster and Woodhead continued to set the pace and edged a close win. The British duo recorded their fourth victory of the campaign at the end of a highly entertaining race.

“Visibility was an obvious problem and it was taxing on the brain when you know that you dare not put a foot wrong. It was important to get a good result and lead the championship,” continues Webster, who now held an advantage – six points – for the first time since the opening round at Valencia, Spain.

Following a six-week summer break, the 2003 Superside World championship resumed at Assen, Holland for rounds seven and eight. Webster and Woodhead were again in inspired form and registered back-to-back wins – numbers five and six – at the legendary ‘Circuit van Drenthe’.

Steinhausen and Hopkinson took the holeshot in the first race and the on-form German-British pairing held on to the lead for five laps before being overtaken by eventual winners, Webster and Woodhead. “I got my usual bad start and it was a lot of hard work. But we had to keep pushing very hard,” states Webster.

It was the same pattern in race two as Webster and Woodhead took the chequered flag, 6.815s ahead of Klaffenböck and Parzer. The Austrians staged a terrific fightback to pass reigning world champions, Steve Abbott and Jamie Biggs on the final lap and take second. But they now trailed their British counterparts by 25 points, with two races to go.

“It was a good weekend and the team did a fantastic job. Lap times were a bit slower but it was the same for everyone out there,” says Webster, who broke his own lap record with a time of 2:08.392.

Round nine at Imola, Italy saw Steinhausen and Hopkinson grab their second win of the campaign with Webster and Woodhead having to settle for second, 14.433s adrift of the winners.

“We had no chance of catching Jörg and Trevor. The championship was not decided yet so we were not going to take anything for granted,” adds Webster, who would go into the final round needing just one point to seal an unprecedented ninth world title.

A fifth place was to prove sufficient for the British pairing, who finished the season on 197 points, 19 clear of Klaffenböck and Parzer.

“It’s been a big team effort and there are a lot of people who have helped us this year. They know who they are. It’s a very special day for me and this gives me the spur to go for a 10th world title!” concludes Steve Webster MBE.



Steve Webster – 2003 – the year that was:

Six race wins
Eight podium finishes
Nine pole positions (100% record)

57 career wins (second behind Switzerland’s Rolf Biland, 82 wins)

27 consecutive pole positions

Nine World championships (record):
1987 Steve Webster (GB)/Tony Hewitt (GB)
1988 Steve Webster (GB)/Tony Hewitt (GB)
1989 Steve Webster (GB)/Tony Hewitt (GB)
1991 Steve Webster (GB)/Gavin Simmons (GB)
1997 Steve Webster (GB)/David James (GB)
1998 Steve Webster (GB)/David James (GB)
1999 Steve Webster (GB)/David James (GB)
2000 Steve Webster (GB)/Paul Woodhead (GB)
2003 Steve Webster (GB)/Paul Woodhead (GB)


Steve Webster – World Superside championship/*FIM World Cup record
1983: 16th 8 points
1984 8th 15
1985: 4th 32
1986: 3rd 71
1987: 1st 97
1988: 1st 156
1989: 1st 145
1990: 3rd 166
1991: 1st 181
1992: 2nd 92
1993: 2nd 119
1994: 2nd 104
1995: 19th 12
1996: 3rd 110
1997*: 1st 163
1998*: 1st 124
1999*: 1st 190
2000*: 1st 220
2001: 2nd 120
2002: 4th 145
2003: 1st 197