Melandri: 2010 is my last chance
Marco Melandri has explained his reasons for switching from Ohlins suspension back to Showa at Le Mans, stating that he can't afford to have any bad races if he is to remain in MotoGP next season.
The Italian has endured a wretched couple of seasons with his 2008 campaign with Ducati being nothing short of a disaster, and last year with the Hayate Racing team yielding just a single podium finish.
Now back with the San Carlo Gresini Honda team - the team with which he finished second in the MotoGP standings back in 2005 - Melandri secured his best result of the season in France by coming him in sixth place, which was also his best finish since taking second at the same venue last year.
The French weekend saw Melandri elect to run with Showa suspension in order to get a better feeling with his bike and he now hopes that Ohlins will be able to come up with a solution to make him more comfortable while using their product.
"We were very open," he told the MotoGP website. "We put in Showa but we were very clear and clean with Ohlins. We explained my problem and for me this year is the last chance, I cannot have many bad races if I want a ride next year so they understand.
"Ohlins has been working really hard to try and help us fix my feeling problem, but for me it was not the same as when I was riding a Honda with Showa. So we talked and tried Showa to see if my feeling was a bit better. Something was a little better this weekend, but I'm sure Ohlins can help me work with them again.
"Now it's very important to have this confirmed. We will have a big meeting this week and I hope to find a better solution for everyone."
Melandi added that his confidence had taken a boost thanks to his result in France and he was confident of a strong showing on the satellite Honda on home soil at Mugello next time out.
"That track is one of the best in the world," he continued. "The surface is very bumpy but I hope there is good weather like here and I hope to be able to have a good start again and be fighting a bit more for the podium.
"It's going to be very difficult I know, but I want to do that."
