Number 9 dream

Webster and passenger Paul Woodhead go to Magny Cours, near Nevers in France, searching for the solitary point they require to be sure of the championship they last lifted in 2000. A 15th place would do it for them.

Having won six out of nine races so far this campaign, and amassed a points tally of 186 to nearest challenger and 2001 world champions Klaus Klaffenbock and Christian Parzer's haul of 162, their lead is 24 points.

With 25 points for a win, Webster needs only to come home 15th on the day, because, even if Klaffenbock wins the race and takes the 25, they'll finish equal on points with Webster getting the nod by virtue of more race wins.

But the outcome is by no means certain. If Webster were to record a non-finish and Klaffenbock were to win, the Austrian pair would take the championship.

A long shot? Well, the 'impossible' has happened before.

Fans need only to cast their minds back to 1988.

Going into the final round at Brno, in Czechoslovakia, then championship leader Rolf Biland needed only to finish in the points to lift the crown.

The seemingly highly unlikely scenario of a non-finish for him and a Webster race victory was the only chance the North Yorkshire ace had of retaining his world crown - and as the history books record, that is exactly what happened.

Shift forward to 1992, and there was a complete role reversal.

Webster only needed to finish at Assen to lift what would have then been a fifth title, but after a gear-lever rose-joint broke, he coasted to a halt only to see Biland win the championship.

And it's not the first time Webster's gone to a final-round in France needing a race finish for the title.

Back in 1991, at Le Mans, he needed a points finish and brought his 500cc Krauser-powered LCR home a careful third to lift what was then his fourth world championship.

Webster has only raced on the 4.225-kilometre Magny Cours circuit once before, and that was in 1992, in the fourth round of the championship.

After qualifying in second place, he was fourth in the race, with Biland taking the win. That was his last race in France, a country where he has won once - in 1990, also at Le Mans.

With a note of caution, Webster declared: "It's all still a big 'if'.

"It does feel like the pressure is on when all we need to do is finish in the points. We've been in this position before and know what can happen. We just need one point and we'll just do whatever we have to do to get it.

"I'd prefer to race round with the usual bunch - Steinhausen, Hanks, Abbo and Klaffy - as we are all used to each other and can usually work out what each will do.

"If I go around and get mixed up with another group lower down the field we could get caught out, as we won't have the same understandings. The last thing we want is a bit of argy-bargy."

Webster revealed that the engine of his machine had been rebuilt and the chassis striped.

He added: "Hopefully, we'll be able to do what we need. We have got to treat it as just another race.

"The best thing we can do is to get a decent start and stay with the lead group. We do not want to get caught at the back of the field.

"It's virtually a brand new track for us all. There's going to be a bit of circuit learning to do - I can't really remember it too well."

Klaffenbock still has his own hopes of the title but sees the dice loaded against him.

He said: "We have a slim chance but we'll certainly try hard."

Jrg Steinhausen and Trevor Hopkinson are aiming to continue their fine end-of-season form and sign off with a third win.

Third in the championship whatever they do on Saturday are Jorg Steinhausen and his Scarborough-based passenger Trevor Hopkinson, who have lifted their performances to be Webster's toughest challengers:

"We felt the pressure but rode hard and were very pleased to win the race," said Steinhausen after his Imola victory last time out. "We will be looking for another win in the final round at Magny-Cours."

Updated: 11:03 Friday, October 17, 2003