Melandri ready to take year out

Marco Melandri says he is ready to take a year off racing in MotoGP if Kawasaki is unable to find a team to run its bikes this year.

The Japanese manufacturer announced this month that it was pulling out of the sport before the start of the 2009 season.

There have been ongoing talks to try to find an independent team to run the bikes this year, but Melandri admits missing the season would be a possibility.

"It wouldn't be great but... to stop for a year would not be a huge problem," he was quoted as saying by Reuters on Monday evening.

"I'm waiting. I hope the date is not put back because it is better to know for sure that you won't be racing, rather than carrying on with uncertainty."

Melandri joined Kawasaki from Ducati at the end of last year. He was expected to be partnered by John Hopkins.

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