Chris Vermeulen will be back with Rizla Suzuki next year as he has signed a one-year extension deal to be back in MotoGP alongside teammate Loris Capirossi. The Australian will be then in his fourth year with the Suzuki factory team.

The door is now probably closed for the double AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies, who was expected to join Rizla Suzuki next year, unless the team decides to add another bike. The American has already competed in two events this year and he will be back later this month in Indianapolis.

Spies is now reported to have talks with two Honda satellite teams, Gresini Honda and JIR, and an announcement could be made as early as the Indy Grand Prix.

It is believed that one of the two Honda teams has secured the sponsorship of a large U.S. corporation and that Honda USA is backing the move to replace Nicky Hayden who has signed with Ducati for 2009.