Diminutive and mercurial Italian Marco Melandri is in the frame for not one but three rides in next year’s World Superbike Championship despite not having raced since the end of last season.

The former MotoGP star, who is a difficult customer by all accounts, looks set to make a return to the series in 2017 with the Pucetti Kawasaki team who allege they are on the brink of signing contracts as part of their planned move to the big class.

Melandri will partner Randy Krummenacher and his wallet in the squad, they say, and apparently also have the backing of Italy-based Pata crisps whose president Remo Gobbi is a big fan of not only bike racing but Melandri himself.

Pata are also title sponsors of the factory Yamaha team, whose boss Andrea Dosoli is big mates with Melandri. The rider has already publicly stated he is available to race for the team from Laguna Seca if they can give him some test time, which more than likely means Sylvain Guintoli will not be back before the two-month summer break - if at all.

It is thought, though, that Yamaha will once again use Nico Canepa as Cameron Beaubier’s MotoAmerica commitments are taking priority. But if Guintoli decides he has had enough of the R1 and walks away from the second year of his deal, there could be a spot for Melandri.

And also on the Misano grapevine was a seat alongside Chaz Davies in the factory Aruba Ducati squad with Davide Giugliano being shuffled to a possible new satellite outfit…