Seedorf kicks off Martin's world dream.

Dutch soccer star Clarence Seedorf is poised to do the opposite to several British football managers and reveal a rising British talent on his team, with confirmation that Chris Martin will partner Alvaro Bautista in 2003.

AC Milan midfield player Seedorf holds an interest in a GP125 team bearing his name, and the Spanish outfit will make its debut on the world stage this year with two relatively inexperienced grand prix riders. Martin, however, won the British 125cc title last season as well as racing in selected rounds of the World, European and Spanish championships, and was looking to make the step up to the MotoGP support series permanent.

"The team were really keen to get me on board, and I've felt wanted ever since they first approached me," he told Britain's Independent newspaper, "I should have full factory support from Aprilia, and I'm delighted to have this opportunity.

"I was introduced to Clarence in Madrid, and he was very nice, very polite. He explained that he was giving his full backing to the team, and that he was keen to meet all of us. It seems that he is trying to become involved in lots of different sports, and this will be his first main venture into motorcycling."

Martin rode a standard version of the Aprilia in his first test with the Seedorf Racing team at Jerez, but expects to move up to more competitive machinery during the season.

"At the first test, I went three seconds quicker than I had on my Honda - and that was with the old bike," he commented to motogp.com at the time, "With full factory support from Aprilia, I expect to go even faster when we get to the IRTA tests.

"I am coming to win races. "I have beaten many of these guys before, and I have ridden twice as a wildcard at Donington, so I know what they are about. I know I can beat them on equal machinery, and I will have that. I am very pleased to have this opportunity and excited to get started and show what I can do."