Ducati Corse's general manager Filippo Preziosi hoped that Gibernau's immediate pace with the GP8 would 'spur on' Melandri and Elias, who were both still struggling badly to adapt to the machine - Sylvain Guintoli having shown signs of progress.

Gibernau's third and final test for Ducati, in late July, saw him repeat his strong race pace and also set a qualifying tyre time good enough for eighth on the Italian GP grid. The Spaniard now looked certain to replace Melandri during the second half of the season, but the Melandri/Ducati split never happened and Gibernau was left on the sidelines - although clearly not forgotten.

Gibernau, a nine time 500cc/MotoGP race winner, claimed his most recent victory at the 2004 Qatar Grand Prix, a race which saw Rossi demoted to the back of the grid due to overnight grid cleaning by his team. Rightly or wrongly, Rossi blamed Gibernau for the 'unsporting' protest and, after the race, furiously declared that Gibernau 'would not win again'. Although relations between the pair subsequently improved, Rossi's 'curse' is yet to be broken.

Onde 2000 currently runs Pablo Nieto on KTM machinery in the 125cc World Championship. Pablo - a 125GP rider for the past ten seasons, during which he has claimed one race victory, eight podiums and three pole positions - has already announced that he will retire from racing and join brother Gelete in a management role for the team's 2009 MotoGP graduation.

Ducati's 2009 MotoGP line-up will thus be its biggest ever - featuring Stoner and Nicky Hayden at Ducati Marlboro, Mika Kallio and Niccolo Canepa at Pramac and Gibernau with Onde 2000. Gibernau deal has been helped by the single tyre rule, which ended the need for Ducati's Tyre Test Team.

Gibernau's deal means the full time MotoGP grid will increase from 18 to 19 riders next season.


Sete Gibernau - MotoGP career highlights:

500cc/MotoGP: 9 (wins), 30 (podiums), 13 (poles), 8 (fastest laps).

2006: Ducati 13th in world championship.
2005: Honda 7th in world championship.
2004: Honda 2nd in world championship (4 wins).
2003: Honda 2nd in world championship (4 wins).
2002: Suzuki 16th in world championship.
2001: Suzuki 9th in world championship (1 win).
2000: Honda 15th in world championship.
1999: Honda 5th in world championship.
1998: Honda 11th in world championship.
1997: Yamaha 13th in world championship.