AFTER their welcomed victory in glorious sunshine at Silverstone last Saturday, Team Castrol Suzuki sidecar aces Steve Webster and Paul Woodhead have journeyed south across an even hotter Europe to the beautiful Adriatic coast of Italy for round five of the 2003 World Championship.

The venue this weekend is the 2.52-mile Misano Adriatico, near Bologna, a fast, sweeping circuit that Webster lists as one of his favourites.

It will be his seventh visit to the track since the first venture back in 1990 which resulted in a second place, and over the years he has taken three wins there - in 1991, 2000 and 2001.

Last year, Webster's great rival and friend Steve Abbott won there on his way to the 2002 title, while Webster and Woodhead were forced to retire.

The lap record-holding duo arrive at the anti-clockwise circuit searching for a third consecutive race win, but currently trailing points table leader Klaus Klaffenbock by six points, and knowing a win is an absolute must to take over at the top.

Webster arrived at the circuit on Wednesday and the team were enjoying the blazing sunshine as they prepared their outfit.

He said: "It's the kind of circuit I really like to race on, and I think it suits us, my riding style and the handling of the bike.

"But while it's nice to enjoy the sun, if it is going to be really hot, the race will be very hard work.

"But hopefully the new Kevlar race suits we are using this year should be a bit cooler than leathers to race in."

With the circuit resurfaced since last year, tyre wear could be a critical factor.

No teams will have any prior knowledge of the abrasiveness of the new top-coat, so equally no-one will have any advantage on tyre compounds. Practice sessions today will have revealed the preferred rubber for tomorrow's race.

The event will be the halfway point of the newly extended ten-race 2003 campaign, and Webster knows that even if he does win, Klaffenbock could finish second, but then Webster would only take a one-point lead.

It's shaping up to what could be the toughest race of the year so far, with each of the top bunch looking to make a mark.

Last year's race winner at Misano, Abbott, has yet to win this year after suffering fuel pump problems. He will be well aware of his need to start racking up some points to aid his title defence.

Last weekend's early pace-setter, Jorg Steinhausen, will also be looking for his first win of the year, but will remember all too well that he suffered physically in the torrid heat last year, slipping to third place in a race that probably ultimately costed him the title.

And Klaffenbock, while feeling the pressure of Webster gaining ground, will be equally keen to notch up a morale-boosting victory to extend his lead before going on to his home race at Zeltweg next month.

Updated: 11:44 Friday, June 20, 2003