Crash continues Melandri's frustration

The Italian was putting in his strongest performance since the fourth race of the season at Shanghai, where he finished fifth, a day after confirming that he will part company with Ducati before 2009.

He had fought his way up to seventh in the wet in Germany, setting the fastest lap on the way, but he crashed out on the eighth lap.

"It's a shame because I thought I could do a good race," he told Italia1 television. "I didn't start too well and I was struggling a lot at the beginning when the track was very difficult - I couldn't see a thing. But then I found my rhythm and I began to be at ease on the bike, it worked well and I was making up ground.

"Things really can't go well for me! We worked well the entire weekend, let's just hope America will be good for us."

Melandri was at a loss to explain why the crash happened.

"I don't know if I changed my line or went over a puddle, but all of a sudden I lost the front and crashed."