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Thursday, 25th October 2007

Following this morning's announcement that the second Honda Gresini seat has been given to Shinya Nakano for 2008, its current occupant, Toni Elias, has duly been confirmed at the Pramac d'Antin Team.

The move was long predicted and means that the exciting 24-year-old MotoGP race winner, still recovering from a broken femur at Assen, will join Sylvain Guintoli at Ducati's satellite team. Elias' team-mate Marco Melandri will also be on a Desmosedici next year, but with the factory Ducati Marlboro outfit.

The news appears to signal the end of Alex Barros' long MotoGP career, while new team-mate Chaz Davies - who joined d'Antin for the closing stages of the 2007 season, following the sacking of Alex Hofmann - will probably need to chose between the Ducati/Bridgestone test ride or returning to the AMA.

Thursday's announcements mean that only Team Roberts is still to confirm its 2008 line-up. Team KR is looking to expand to a full two-rider team next season, and has been linked with Ducati machinery.

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