Brno MotoGP: Chris Vermeulen out of Suzuki?

Confirmation that Alvaro Bautista will join Suzuki’s factory MotoGP team in 2010 appears to have placed the future of Aussie rider Chris Vermeulen in serious doubt.

Bautista has signed a two-year deal to ride a factory GSV-R with Suzuki making the deal official with an announcement after yesterday’s Czech Republic GP in Brno.

The Spaniard’s deal appears to leave Vermeulen the most vulnerable, with Italian veteran Loris Capirossi insisting he is close to penning an extension to his current contract.

Vermeulen is also still in negotiations with Suzuki, but he’s also been in talks with Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal about a YZR-M1 ride.

MCN understands that a deal with Capirossi has already been agreed and an announcement could be made at the next race in Indianapolis at the end of the month.

Bautista had been expected to sign a deal to join Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez’s new Ducati MotoGP squad.

But he believes riding in a factory team is the only way he can fulfil his MotoGP ambitions.

Hector Barbera will now join Martinez’s team to ride a GP10 next season.