Canepa retains Ducati seat

From motogp.com

Niccolò Canepa will continue with the Pramac Racing MotoGP squad until the end of the season according to his team and the Italian youngster is looking forward to getting back on his Ducati satellite machine in Portugal after speculation that Aleix Espargaró could take his place was ended.

Canepa told motogp.com, “It has not been an easy time. People have been talking about me a lot and I read the newspapers every day. There was a meeting with Ducati to clarify the situation, which the team owner Paolo Campinoti attended. Now all I can say is that I am happy I will be finishing the season on my bike.”

He continued, “No-one asked me to win the World Championship at the beginning of the year. I don’t think I have been as disappointing as people have said. I’ll finish the season and I am happy to be able to do so.”

It appears that Canepa is unlikely to continue in the premier class of MotoGP next year as he admits himself, “I don’t think I will be back in MotoGP. Riders such as Alex de Angelis and Toni Elías, who have been on the podium this year, still don’t have their rides for 2010 sorted, so I think that makes it even harder for me. Riding again in MotoGP is my dream for the future but maybe now it wouldn’t be bad to ride in another championship to gain more experience and fight for podium places.

“I have some serious offers for Superbikes and Moto2 but nothing has been decided. Pramac aim to be in Moto2 but at the moment we are still making plans for the future.”