Rumors originating in the old country this morning have it that Italian Lorenzo Lanzi will be re-hired on the Ducati Corse WSBK team for 2007.

This news, if true, may come as a complete surprise to several riders including former World Superbike champion Neil Hodgson who has been pining hard for the job for the past month. Hodgson, Gregorio Lavilla and others were thought to be the favorites after Ducati let their option on Lanzi's contract expire without a renewal.

Lanzi suffered a lackluster 2006 season after a brilliant debut in 2005.