Ducati announced that they were pulling out of the World Superbike Championship from this year on. Even though there is no official factory entry, the Ducati run by Althea and ridden by Carlos Checa is leading the world championship standings and it is now a formality for Checa to clinch the title in the up coming race at Magny Cours in France. Yamaha have said that they will be pulling out of World Superbikes next year, but there is now talk of Yamaha also doing what Ducati has done with Althea. ParkinGo is the team that is managing the Yamaha effort in the Supersport series and some are saying that since ParkinGo has ensured that Yamaha could win the World Supersport title this year, it could be rewarded by getting to do what Althea is doing for Ducati. Another name that is doing the rounds is Paul Bird Motorsport who have been running the factory Kawasaki effort in World Superbikes and have now been sacked. It is believed that Paul Bird may take on the Yamaha team. All that is however firmly in thin air. We shall wait for Yamaha to say something officially.