Melandri to keep Ducati ride?

Marco Melandri will race for the Ducati Marlboro team at Brno in three weeks’ time, according to team boss Livio Suppo. The Italian’s place had been in doubt after his dismal start to the season, and Sete Gibernau had been touted as a potential replacement after the summer break following his three tests with the factory team.

Ducati admitted that Melandri’s performance in the last two races at Sachsenring and Laguna Seca would determine his future. Then Melandri himself revealed that he could be replaced by Gibernau at Brno and expected a decision from the team last week.

But in his blog on the Ducati website, Suppo says Melandri will be back on the bike at the next round. “Laguna was a positive weekend for Marco, albeit without the final result that he hoped to achieve,” said Suppo. “In the warm-up he was very fast, as he had been in free practice. In the race, however, he was unfortunate to touch at the first curve which caused him to run off track. “But he showed that he was making a constant effort, just as he did at Sachsenring. He was consistently up with the frontrunners during the practices and warm-up and we’re convinced that he has understood how to get the best out of the Desmosedici. “Now we have some holiday time, but we can’t wait to see Casey and Marco back on track again at Brno.”