ALTERNATIVES – The situation is very strange: Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri want to verify the potential of the V4, before extending their deals with Ducati. But there’s a long list of competitive riders who would sign at any condition, even with a low salary: Forés, Tom Sykes, Eugene Laverty, Alvaro Bautista and Scott Redding.
CONVICTIONS – Davies seems (relatively) close to the renewal, while Melandri is less likely to do it. According to Corsedimoto.com, by contrast, the confirmation of Marco Melandri is the main priority for Aruba.it, thinking of medium term: the Italian web company considers the presence of a compatriot very important for their marketing strategy. Melandri and Aruba.it CEO Stefano Cecconi are spending their holidays together, with their families: it’s very unlikely that they’ll part ways…
OFFER – Forés has already won a European Championship and two national titles (in Spain and Germany) on a Ducati. Alternatively, Forés may remain with Barni and enjoy a huge support from the manufacturer, as it already happens to Danilo Petrucci and Pramac Racing in MotoGP. “Barni hasn’t planned 2019 yet, it depends on the sponsors”, said Xavi. “I haven’t tested Ducati V4 yet, but it seems to have a big potential and it would be nice to be involved in such project. I also would like to be involved in its development, preferably in the Factory team.“