Suppo keen to give Davies another chance

The 20-year-old stood in for injured Alex Hoffman at just 30 minutes notice after the German crashed on the Friday of the United States GP.

It is believed that Suppo is pushing to get Davies on a works Desmosedici GP7 bike soon for a test at Mugello alongside Vittoriano Gaureschi, the squad's test rider. Ducati are prepared to have important engineers from Bologna present there to assess the Brit.

Davies was the talk of the paddock after his 'in at the deep end' showing on the D'Antin-run Ducati, posting the 12th best fastest lap during the race out of 19 runners, even though he had to pit during the race because a sprocket broke.

"It's difficult to judge a rider just on Laguna," Said Suppo.

"He showed something good. Casey thinks he has potential, and I talked to Casey, I mean he knows what it's like to be a rider around that circuit... He knows what it is to lap Laguna in 1 minute 23.7 seconds after only being on the bike just on Friday afternoon.

"I'm pushing to see if he is a good rider. It makes no sense to sign him for next year just on Laguna. No good for us and not good for him either."

With the works Ducati team made up of Stoner and Marco Melandri next season, there is a feeling that Ducati may make the D'Antin team into a squad for younger riders to come through the system with Sylvain Guintoli already lined up to take one of the seats in the Spanish-run team.