CARL Fogarty will have to put old rivalries behind him tomorrow in the opening round of the World Superbike Championship in Misano, San Marino.

The Blackburn double world champion has a new brand new team, bike and most important of all, team-mate for the 1996 campaign.

Fogarty moved to Japanese giants Honda in the close season, along with long-time rival Aaron Slight.

And it is Fogarty's relationship with Kiwi Slight that could provide the fireworks this season. The pair are not the best of friends and have endured their fair share of incidents over the last few seasons.

"We are big rivals and we have had run-ins before. But we are both professionals and both want to win.

"We're not best mates, but we shouldn't be and I don't see any problems," said Fogarty.

And Slight is also adamant that the new partnership will run smoothly.

"We're a team and we have to be sensible and put the rest behind us. "At the end of the day, we've both been hired by Honda to win a world title, we're starting out on a professional basis," said Slight.

Both riders are too focused and experienced to let petty rivalries cloud their vision and in putting them together Honda obviously feel they have twice the chance of snatching the 1996 crown.

But it is Fogarty, as double world champion, who will command most respect and the Blackburn ace is confident he can come up with the goods once again.

"I'm under more pressure as a factory rider, but I'm looking forward to it," said Fogarty.

Fogarty steered his Honda to a provisional fifth place on the grid in qualifying for tomorrow's race.

Troy Corser (Ducati) set the pace with provisional pole, with Simon Crafar (Kawasaki) second, John Kocinski (Ducati) third and Burnley newcomer Neil Hodgson (Ducati) in fourth place.

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