Former Ducati Marlboro rider and nine-times
MotoGP race winner, Sete Gibernau, has called a press conference for Wednesday morning - when it is rumoured that he will announce his retirement.
The 33-year-old,
Valentino Rossi's closest title rival during 2003 and 2004, has lost his factory Ducati ride to rising star
Casey Stoner for 2007 and, with the only known seats left being at the new Ilmor team, Sete is expected to announce at least a 'year off' from grand prix racing.
Gibernau, the grandson of Don Paco Bulto - founder of Spain's Bultaco motorcycle firm - was Spanish Junior Champion in 1991 and made his full time 250GP debut in 1996 after being signed by former triple world champion Wayne Rainey, with whom Sete graduated to the premier 500cc class, on Yamaha machinery, the following season.
A switch to a V-Twin Repsol Honda for 1998 produced a debut podium and Gibernau was then handed Mick Doohan's V4 after the Australian's career-ending accident early in 1999. Gibernau took the five-times world champion's bike to four podiums and fifth in the championship, but struggled during 2000 and switched to Suzuki for 2001 - resulting in an emotional debut victory at Valencia.
But Suzuki suffered badly during the first year of the new four-stroke 990cc machines in 2002 and Gibernau left for a satellite Honda ride with the Gresini team the following season. When Gibernau's star team-mate Daijiro Kato was tragically killed in the first race of 2003, Sete dug deep and took his first RCV victory at the very next race.
Three further victories followed, including a perfect last corner pass to beat Rossi in Germany, and Gibernau finished the season second only to the factory Honda rider, but the animosity between the pair was growing - particularly as Gibernau felt he deserved more factory support in return for his performances.
