Marco Melandri is rumoured to be in talks with the Yoshimura Suzuki MotoAmerica team to replace the retiring Roger Hayden in 2019.

It appears the little Italian is running out rides in WorldSBK as his seat at Ducati has 99 per cent been lifted by Alvaro Bautista and the GRT Yamaha squad wants to run Sandro Cortese in a one-bike squad as they don't have the moolah to double up.

Yoshimura already run Toni Elias and have, historically, been well supported and financed so could more than likely afford a team of two ex-MotoGP stars.