Dunlop expects no 2008 presence

Dunlop, the sole tyre supplier of the 125cc and 250cc fields, was only supplying the Yamaha Tech 3 in MotoGP, but the French squad announced they will not be using the British company's tyres in 2008.

The decision has left Dunlop with almost no options for next year, and Ferguson believes the company will have to sit out 2008 and hope for a return in 2009.

Ferguson reckons, however, Dunlop will have a hard time when they return to the top category.

"Realistically, I must say we are out now," Ferguson was quoted as saying by Motosprint magazine. "We couldn't find a team to be able to work with in a serious manner. It's a shame, really.

"A one-year break will certainly have its weight. We had started reaping the fruits of our labor done over the last seasons and we were pushing a lot for 2008.

"We are not leaving the racing world, but it's also hard to carry on evolving our tyres because there's nothing like MotoGP. With Superbikes you don't reach the same levels of development, and then in that case too you'd need to choose the series and there's not much choice.

"The world championship has a sole supplier, while in America the tracks have a type of surface that is useless for development, because it's very different from what you find on MotoGP tracks.

"We are better off waiting to find a home, but for 2009. And if things carry on this way, it will be very difficult then too."