Ducati forced to revise 2009 line-up

Ducati has been forced to revise its 2009 line-up, with rookie Niccolo Canepa now to campaign his first MotoGP season for the new Onde 2000 squad.

Canepa will now partner returning Spanish veteran Sete Gibernau after he was initially contracted to ride in the satellite squad supported by Alice.

It has been rumoured in Spain that Alice, title sponsors of the Pramac squad, have withdrawn, leaving boss Paolo Campinoti only able to fund the lease of one GP9 machine off Ducati. That bike will be for Finnish rider Mika Kallio, who has impressed so far in pre-season testing.

Former 125GP racer Pablo Nieto and his brother Gelete will run the new Onde 2000 squad, and they had wanted the second bike to be allocated to Fonsi Nieto. He’s been frozen out of World Superbikes after the Alstare Suzuki squad reduced its entry from two to three bikes to cope with the economic crisis.

But Ducati rejected the bid, insisting that former test and development rider Canepa make the unexpected switch.