Zoom Marco Melandri

The subject of unrelenting speculation as to his future with the Ducati Marlboro team, and with the spectre of Sete Gibernau lurking in the shadows, Marco Melandri is ready for any eventuality over the summer break.

Paddock rumour and gossip suggests a swap for Ducati from one former World Championship runner-up to another but, according to Melandri himself, nothing is a done deal yet.

“I´m just waiting to find out what I have to do”, said the Italian after the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, nearly a year to the day after his having been announced as a Ducati rider for the 2008 and 2009 seasons. The latter annum of the arrangement was cancelled by mutual consent before this year´s visit stateside, and now Melandri is left attempting to convince potential suitors to collaborate with him for next season.

Whether he does this on-track or solely through negotiation from the sidelines remains to be seen.

Signs of improvement had been evident at Laguna Seca and Sachsenring, but on both occasions incidents after a positive start left Melandri with little to show for his efforts. His best result for his current team thus far has been fifth in China.

The chance that Ducati may field a line-up containing no Italian continues to be discussed, however, and the 25 year-old faces a nervous summer break awaiting either a cut from the team or a stay of execution.

“I´m just waiting to see what I have to do. I have a contract with Ducati until the end of the year, I´m a Ducati rider. If they want to stop with me then I have to do what they want, so I just have to wait.”

© DORNA / CAPSIS International