EASINGWOLD'S record-breaking sidecar world champion Steve Webster is back on the glory trail tomorrow when his 2001 season gets underway at Valencia in Spain.

Webster's opener in the quest for a fifth consecutive and ninth overall world title, is the first of a ten round series that takes in visits to Australia and a new track in Germany, as well as two rounds in this country.

After winning the title four times in a row to take a record eigth championship last season, there's only one aim on Webster's mind - to continue on that winning streak.

He will be joined again by 35-year-old Paul Woodhead, now based in Milton Keynes, in the chair.

At the end of last season Webster left the German-run Rolf Steinhausen team after two successful seasons riding their 1200cc Suzuki outfits.

Although the North Yorkshire star brought success to the team, it became increasingly apparent that as the season wore on he wasn't getting best treatment when it came to dishing out the latest parts.

Diplomatic as ever, Webster is reluctant to say more, other than he's looking forward to being more in control of team matters, and relieved some of the tensions he experienced last season won't arise.

But it's been a close run thing getting it together.

Webster's main sponsors are Castrol Oils and an internet broadcasting company, Liveonscreen.com

Yokohama will be supplying tyres. Leathers and helmets come from Italian company Dianese.

The machinery will be practically identical to last year, a 1200cc GSXR Suzuki in a brand new Swiss-built LCR chassis.

"It's been organised very quickly - 12 weeks ago the decision was made to set it all up. Since then the team have got a truck sorted, two bikes built up and race engines built.

"We almost ran out of time, and the only testing we did was half a day at Cadwell last weekend in the snow, which didn't tell us very much as it was so cold. But the bike ran even though we know it's got a few rough edges yet.

"We have a new programmable ignition system that we have to get to understand. It's the first time I've used this type and so matching the programming to the carburation is going to keep us busy. Realistically, it's going to be tough this weekend because of our complete lack of testing time.

"In effect, the first race will be the first major test. The teams who are using last year's machinery will have an advantage, but I'm just hoping we can get a rostrum place - that'll be good enough.

"When we get back we'll have whole clear month before going off to Australia to get everything sorted.

"I'm not saying I'm writing the first race off, but it is going to be tough sorting out teething troubles"

The second pair in the team will be Ian Guy and passenger Andy Peach, who were eighth in last year's championship.

But while Webster has been quietly getting on with making his arrangements, his main rivals for the 2001 crown have been indulging in some passenger swapping.

Main contender Klaus Klaffenbock, from Austria, will be rejoined by Christian Parzer, who raced with Klaffenbock for many years, but after a spell out of action came back last season with Webster's then team-mate Jurg Steinhausen.

Klaffenbock's passenger for the last two seasons, Adolf Haenni, the Swiss who raced with Webster in 1994, has gone to the Klaffenbock Team's former second string driver Gerhard Hauzenburger.

Steinhausen will now have Bedale's Andy Hetherington, who won world titles in 1995 and 1996 with Darren Dixon, in the chair. Dutch rider Benny Jannsen will become Klaffenbock's new No 2.

Realistically, it is going to be between Webster and Klaffenbock again, with Steinhausen expected to struggle.

The dark horse could be the evergreen Steve Abbott, who has found a way to increase the capacity of his FZR1000 Yamaha engine to 1200cc. If he can rid himself of the unreliability that has restricted him so much, he'll be a contender.

Beyond that it has to be said that the rest of the field is of perhaps lower quality than it should be.

Webster, who was 41 in January, said: "The sport needs people like Rolf Biland, Markus Boesiger and the Guedel brothers back. But it's not going to happen. We need some new teams coming through who can race at the front"

To be honest, it's hard to see where they will come from.

The tracks will be all familiar to Webster. "It's going to be nice going back to Australia, but I won't miss South Africa - it was a bit scary away from the track. We've been everywhere else apart from Lausitzring in Germany."

But he does know his place on the championship map that will take him towards realising that ninth world crown.

Updated: 12:21 Saturday, March 10, 2001