Dovizioso signs with Ducati?

Proving that contract talks in MotoGP are as watertight as fishnet stockings, reports in the Italian media claim that Andrea Dovizioso has signed a two-year contract to ride for the factory Ducati team in MotoGP for 2013 and 2014.

Most of the noise coming from Ducati for the past few months suggested that Andrea Dovizioso's teammate, Monster Tech 3 Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow, was the man to take the Ducati seat vacated by Valentino Rossi, now he's signed with the Yamaha factory team for two years.

But the Italian media reckons that Andrea Dovizioso has signed a two-year contract to race for the troubled Italian team, which has struggled to get the bike to work for its riders in recent times.

Furthermore, insiders close to Dovizioso informed an Italian TV program that before Dovizioso signed the deal with the Ducati factory team he had a number of requirements that had to be met by German car maker Audi, the new owner of Ducati.

These stipulations -- which include a guarantee from Audi to invest heavily in the development of the prototype race bikes -- have allegedly been met, and the deal has been sealed.

The news is expected to be announced around the Indianapolis GP.

If the reports about 'bike development' guarantees in Dovi's contract turn out to be substantiated, it would be an admission (of sorts) from Ducati that it has failed in its bid to invest in and develop a competitive race bike for the MotoGP class, and would potentially leave Rossi feeling less than affectionate towards the Ducati operation.

Where does this leave Cal Cruthlow? His desire to ride for a factory team in 2013 has hit a dead end, but there are still a few satellite factory teams with prototype bikes out there he could ride, including San Carlo Gresini Honda, the new Ducati junior satellite team, and of course his current team, Tech 3 Yamaha.