It's not the end of the story yet though. I can't help thinking Ducati's long term plan was for Stoner as a filler for a year until they could get Melandri after his Gresini stint, and to run Melandri and Capirossi as team mates for a couple of years.
That plan went out of the window when Stoner found the sweet spot and started showing Capirex, and the rest of the field, how to ride.
Perhaps this explains why Ducati are still willing to discuss a third bike for Capirossi next year, with demands. More on MotoGPBlog if you care to check it out.
