After weeks of speculations, former 250cc world champion Marco Melandri is set to join the Kawasaki squad for the 2009 season. The Italian has had more than a difficult season with the Marlboro Ducati team and Melandri had already announced that he was not going to be back in 2009.

Since then, Melandri was linked either with a return at Gresini Honda or with a switch to Kawasaki. It has not be confirmed as of yet, if he will remain with the Ducati factory team for the rest of the season.

That probably means that Anthony West will lose his ride with Kawasaki and that Melandri will partner veteran John Hopkins who just signed a one-year extension contract.