"Suzuki and Kawasaki have two motorcycles and to manufacture a third one for them is a complicated problem," said Aspar. "If my project was like that of other satellite teams, like those of Gresini or Cecchinello, then it would have been simpler. What complicates things is that I want a project of three years and with the guarantee of the support of a factory that will offer me official motorcycles, like those of their factory team.

"The model of the Tech 3 team of [Herve] Poncharal is the one that I want to follow because its motorcycles are identical to those of Fiat Yamaha. I want my motorcycle and that of the factory team to be equal at the beginning of season, but I am conscious that a 'Valentino Rossi' is going to receive developments before our rider. I believe this is reasonable."

And it seems that Yamaha might be Aspar's best option for a 2010 MotoGP entry.

"The first option we studied was that of Suzuki, last year," confirmed Aspar. "Then we looked at Ducati and Kawasaki, although I also spoke several times with the people of Yamaha and this option could be the most reliable one for 2010, but not the only one."

John Hopkins and new signing Marco Melandri will thus remain the only Kawasaki MotoGP riders in 2009, although the premier-class field could still expand to 19 riders with the rumoured fifth Ducati project, run by the Nieto family for Sete Gibernau, tipped to be confirmed at Valencia.

Aspar will continue to run front-running Aprilia teams in both the 125 and 250cc World Championships next season, while Nakano's most likely role - having already lost his Gresini Honda race seat to Elias - is as a HRC test rider.

Nakano graduated to the 500cc class with Tech 3 Yamaha as the 250cc title runner-up in 2001, claiming a debut podium and premier-class best of fifth in the final world championship standings.

Shinya rode for Kawasaki from 2004 - 2006, claiming two podiums and a best of tenth in the championship before making what seemed like a more competitive move to JiR Honda for 2007.

A season year for all the satellite Honda riders saw Nakano languish down in 17th, but Honda gave the Japanese a second chance by switching him to the Gresini Honda outfit for 2008 - then handed him a factory-spec (valve-spring) RCV from round 13 at Brno onwards.

Nakano has taken a best finish of fourth so far this season and is currently ninth in the world championship.