Fogarty signs up for life

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Thursday 6th Nov 1997.

CARL FOGARTY'S winter of discontent is over after finally signing a mega bucks World Superbike Championship deal to keep him at Ducati for life.

The Tockholes rider has signed a £1 million deal with the Italian factory team which includes loyalty bonuses and a role for Foggy once he decides to hang up his leathers.

The news follows weeks of uncertainty after a deal with the Belgium-based Alstare Corona squad sensationally fell through at the last minute. At one stage it was feared that he would be without a bike for the 1998 campaign.

Foggy could remain in the Virginio Ferrari-run factory squad which helped him to runners-up spot in this year's championship - but Ducati may decide to set up his own satellite team.

Now the sport's most successful rider is wasting no time in his quest for an unprecedented third world title. He flies out to Italy later his week for some intensive testing on his new machine.

News of Fogarty's uncertain future prompted interest from a host of other teams eager to snap him up. But he turned down a more lucrative deal with Suzuki to remain with the team that has guided him to two world championships and more than 40 wins.

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