Ducati driver Marco Melandri has had another dismal performance at the last Dutch Grand Prix when he finished in 13th and last position while his teammate Casey Stoner won the race.

Ducati team boss Livio Suppo has stated that the next two races will be critical to seal the short-term future of Melandri at the Italian squad. Rumours started spreading in and around the paddock last week-end stating that Melandri will be replace after Laguna Seca by Sete Gibernau for the rest of the season.

Recent reports have also suggested that the Ducati team is already in talk with former world champion Nicky Hayden for a seat in 2009, reports that were not denied by the American when questioned about it. Hayden stated that his 2009 plans were currently unclear, but that he expected to move closer to a deal during July.

Meanwhile another pilot is beginning to feel the heat as Gresini Honda's Alex de Angelis was criticised by his boss after crashing in the first lap at Essen. Fausto Gresini was not impressed with de Angelis performance and called for his rider to be more cautious in races.

"I'm not happy about Alex's result," he said. "It's never good to crash on the first lap, especially after the crashes at Barcelona and Donington."