The future of the Haojue 125GP team, absent from the track since round four at Le Mans, looks in even greater doubt after lead rider Michael Ranseder announced a switch to the CBC Corse team from the forthcoming Sachsenring round.

Ranseder and rookie team-mate Matt Hoyle had only started one race between them by the time the Chinese-backed team withdrew from round five at Mugello to try and get a grip on chronic engine problems.

Haojue then split from engine designer Jan Witteveen for providing a powerplant 'neither race competitive nor reliable' but gave no timetable as to when they would return to action... if at all.

The official MotoGP website states that both Ranseder and Hoyle recently had their contracts cancelled, with Ranseder naturally relieved to have secured an alterative ride.

“I'm incredibly relieved and over the moon at the same time,” MotoGP.com quotes Ranseder as saying. “In the last couple of weeks my nerves were quite strained, as my goal was always to stay in grand prix racing. But to find a ride mid-season wasn't easy at all. So I would like to say thanks to the Cecchini brothers for their trust in me. I can't wait to be racing again amongst those guys in 125cc as I'm really motivated after this unintentional break.”

Team Haojue is run by former Suzuki grand prix team manager Garry Taylor, with a chassis designed by Harris Performance. Motorsport legend John Surtees acts as team patron.

The team is owned and financed by Haojue, China's biggest motorcycle company with a production output of over three million machines in 2008.