Edwards and Okada Confident About Winning

The 1000cc VTR-mounted pair arrive at Donington needing victories to improvetheir championship chances. Reigning champion Edwards is third in theseries, 30 points off the lead but believes two wins at Donington on Sundayis a realistic ambition...

"I really need those two wins and the 50 points that go with them and I wantto win on Sunday as much as I¹ve ever wanted to win," says Edwards, a racewinner at Donington in each of the last two years.

Okada is 13th in the championship after a disappointing start to a debutseason in World Superbike for the talented Japanese rider.

"I'm racing at quite a few new circuits this year but Donington Park isn'tone and I'm pleased to be going there again," Okada explains. "I've had alot of good races there in the past and I¹d love to continue that trend withat least a couple of podium finishes on Sunday."

World Superbike practice gets under way at 10.45am on Friday with theopening qualifying session the same day, at 2.45pm, for one hour. AfterSaturday morning's qualifying session, Superpole at 4.00pm, decides thestarting grid for Sunday's two races, which start at 12noon and 3.30pm.

World Superbike championship points after five of 13 rounds: 1 Troy Bayliss,Australia (Ducati) 150, 2 Troy Corser, Australia (Aprilia) 122, 3 ColinEdwards, USA (Castrol Honda) 120, 4 Akira Yanagawa, Japan (Kawasaki) 79, 5Ben Bostrom, USA (Ducati) and Pier-Francesco Chili, Italy (Suzuki) 74, 7Gregorio Lavilla, Spain (Kawasaki) 68, 8 Neil Hodgson, GB (Ducati) 58, 9Regis Laconi, France (Aprilia) 54, 10 Makoto Tamada, Japan (Honda) andStephane Chambon, France (Suzuki) 50.