Leon Haslam could make a surprise return to Moto GP next season after having talks with both Fortuna Honda and Team KR in the last week.
The 23-year-old British rider has become hot property after just missing out on this year's British Superbike Championship to Riuichi Kiyonari, and has been contacted by Fortuna boss Fausto Gresini.
Gresini has two seats available with his team next season, with neither championship challenger Marco Melandri nor Toni Elias having extended their contracts.
KR are also chasing Haslam, with the team keen to expand to two bikes after having just run a single entry for Kenny Roberts Jr this year.
A source close to KR team boss Kenny Roberts Sr confirmed that the team have spoken to Haslam and would like to offer him a ride if they can find the budget to run two bikes next season.
Haslam has already done one season of Moto GP racing, having raced alongside Chris Walker for Team Shell Advance Honda in 2001.
Stackars jävlar ... bara 31 däck per helg.
Hur ska det gå??
Moto GP will feature tyre restrictions for the first time next year in a bid to reduce costs and even up the field, series organisers have confirmed.
Motorcycle racing’s governing body the FIM said in a statement that each rider will be limited to 31 tyres (14 front, 17 rear) per weekend from the start of the 2007 season onwards.
The statement read "between 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs on the day prior to the start of official practice, the Technical Director will mark the tyres available to each entered rider."
The rule has been introduced to try to curb the rate of spending from tyre companies like Michelin.
Michelin have often made tyres on a Friday at their factory and brought them to the track the next morning if their original choice was not up to scratch.
The rule however, only applies to teams using tyres that have won a race since the start of the 2005 season.
This means that Dunlop-tyred teams will be exempted, increasing their chances of moving up the order and could entice new manufacturers into the series.
Wet tyres will not be subjected to limits.