Troy Bayliss is looking forward to a return to his home circuit and hopes to post an early season victory at the island track aboard his Ducati Xerox Team 999F06

_{source: ducati.com}

The last time Troy Bayliss raced World Superbikes at Phillip Island, he had a perfect day - winning both 22 lap races at the 2002 event on his 998F02 Ducati. Back then he was the man of the moment, riding high as the defending world superbike champion after a brilliant 2001.

Like most riders on the international scene, he nominates the 4.445 km Australian circuit as one of his favourites and had plenty to say when asked why it was so special:

"The first thing that I'm looking for in doing a fast lap around Phillip Island is a fine sunny day with little or no wind. For one of your best laps you always want to get onto the straight with the best drive that you can to give you the maximum speed down the straight and then its basically head down and arse up in top gear towards Turn One.

"I plan to be touching sixth gear on my Ducati 999 as I go under the bridge and into Turn One. There are a couple of white marks down there that I use as a braking marker and come in from the left and down shift to fourth. Sometimes I exit Turn One at two-thirds track so I can get a better line for Southern Loop and sometimes I run it right out and just head straight to the apex of Southern Loop to get there as quick as I can. Southern Loop is a third gear left hander with a double apex. It's also an area where you have to watch out for the birds. You try and carry as much corner speed as you can and pick the bike up early to get a good run down through the next section where it's up to fifth gear and full gas down towards Honda.