WORLD number one Carl Fogarty is already plotting the campaign for his year 2000 campaign.

And he refuses to rule out a bid for an amazing sixth title in 2001.

Fogarty is expected to clinch a record fourth World Superbikes title in Germany tomorrow when he needs 30 points from the two races at Hockenheim to make the final round in Japan irrelevant.

But Ducati are refusing to rest on their laurels when Fogarty returns to action next March in the hope of making it five world crowns.

Fogarty has a three day testing session booked in Croatia for next weekend.

The aim is to address the problems at the rear end of his bike that prevented glory at this year's Brands Hatch round when Ducati struggled to find a satisfactory marriage between soft tyres and soft suspension.

The Croatia trip will complete a busy week for the Blackburn superstar.

For, if tomorrow's racing goes to plan and he is able to celebrate his crown on returning home on Monday, Fogarty would then fly straight out to Italy for two days at the glitzy Milan Bike Show.

It is that kind of schedule that has prompted him to consider retirement at the end of next season. But that is by no means a final decision.

He said: "I cannot say 'Yes, it will be my last year' because I might change my mind.

"And if I said 'No, it won't be my last', then I still might change my mind. "If I am up there and winning and motivated again, I could carry on."

Predictably, a Castrol Honda rider was on provsional pole with Aaron Slight pipping Ducati's Troy Corser to the fastest time.

Fogarty was fourth tucked in behind the other Honda rider, Colin Edwards.

Last month's Formula One race has caused problems with the track and the Ducatis were having difficuties at the first corner and the fast chicane.

But the Ducatis are quick in the twisty Motodrom section and were still amongst the fastest on the track before today's final qualifying session and afternoon Superpole.

Fogarty said: "The bike seems to be very hard on the bumps of the track and not very stable coming out of the chicane. It's not very pleasant riding it like that.

"But it's the same for Corse, my only real challenger, so I'm pretty laid back." Edwards also added a note of caution: "It's a high speed track and when we actually get to top speed on the Honda it's as quick as anything out there. But I don't want to make the mistake I did at Monza. That was the last high speed circuit we visited and I almost took it for granted I'd win but walked away from there with two second places."

Friday's qualifying times: 1 Aaron Slight, New Zealand (Castrol Honda) 2m 00.646s, 2 Troy Corser, Australia (Ducati) 2m 01.261s, 3 Colin Edwards, USA (Castrol Honda) 2m 01.264s, 4 Carl Fogarty, GB (Ducati) 2m 01.694s, 5 Akira Yanagawa, Japan (Kawasaki) 2m 01.739s, 6 Pier-Francesco Chili, Italy (Suzuki) 2m 01.791s, 7 Gregorio Lavilla, Spain (Kawasaki) 2m 01.939s, 8 Andy Meklau, Austria (Ducati) 2m 02.000s, 9 Vittoriano Guareschi, Italy (Yamaha) 2m 02.353s, 10 Noriyuki Haga, Japan (Yamaha) 2m 02.438s.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.