Capirossi to announce Ducati return at 200th MotoGP?

Loris Capirossi is set to make his 200th 500cc/MotoGP start this weekend at Misano, when he might also announce a return to Ducati for 2011.

The Italian - a factory Ducati rider from 2003-2007 and a Rizla Suzuki rider since - is known to be negotiating closely for a seat with the satellite Pramac Ducati squad for 2011.

Misano, the last home round of the year for Capirossi, Pramac and Ducati, would be an ideal time to announce if a deal has been done. Capirossi has also been linked with Honda LCR.

Capirossi - a former 125 and double 250cc world champion with nine premier-class grand prix victorious to his credit - hasn't taken a podium since Brno 2008 (his 99th in grand prix and also Suzuki's most recent podium) and is a disappointing 13th in the 2010 championship with seven rounds to go.

The 37-year-old will become only the second rider in the 62-year history of motorcycle Grand Prix racing to reach the milestone of 200 starts in the premier-class, behind Honda Pons former team-mate Alex Barros (245 starts).

Capirossi made his premier-class GP debut in the opening race of the 1995 season at Eastern Creek in Australia and competed for two years in the class before dropping back down to the 250cc class for three years.

The #65 then return to 500cc in 2000 and has been in the premier-class ever since.

Below are some other facts and statistics relating to Capirossi's career in the
premier-class:

* Capirossi has the fourth longest winning career of all-time in the premier-class: 10 years 338 days between his first win in the 500cc class at Eastern Creek Australia in 1996 and his last MotoGP win in Japan in 2007. Only Alex Barros, Phil Read and Giacomo Agostini have longer winning careers in the premier-class.

* Capirossi has won premier-class GP races on four different motorcycles: 500cc Yamaha, 500cc Honda, 990cc Ducati and 800cc Ducati.

* Capirossi is one of only four riders to have won in the premier-class on bikes from three different manufacturers. The other riders to have done this are: Mike Hailwood, Eddie Lawson and Randy Mamola.

* Capirossi is one of only two riders who have won on 500cc two-stroke, 990cc four-stroke and 800cc four-stroke machines; the other is Valentino Rossi.

* During his career Capirossi has competed at 31 different grand prix venues in the premier-class. There are four circuits at which he has competed in each of his thirteen years racing in the premier-class: Brno, Catalunya, Jerez and Mugello.

* The circuit at which Capirossi has had most success in the premier-class is Motegi, where he has finished on the podium on five occasions including three successive race wins in 2005, 2006 and 2007 (all with Ducati).